The Kekkei Genkai Curse
by thesummerstorms
Summary: “Sakura!” Tsunade’s eyes grew hard, though on the inside she was trembling like a newborn kitten, “the fact that you’re…” “Dying?” offered the younger kunoichi, a sad, wry smile on her face.”NaruSaku other minor pairings
1. Red Petals

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

By Shiroihato

Chapter One

**Kin'akairo no Kaben**

(Bronze-Red Petals)

Sakura ran her fingers gently over the soft cloth of Hinata's window seat, and pressed her fore head to the cold pane, watching the snow that was falling just outside the window. Unconsciously, she hummed a bit of a sad tune, and shivered, even in her thick red sweater. A strange sound escaped her throat. It sounded like a cross between a sigh and a suppressed cough.

"Sakura-chan?" her best friend, the Hyuuga heiress asked softly, "are you okay?"

"Hmm, Hina-chan? I'm sorry, did you say something?" Emerald eyes met pearly white ones.

"Sakura-chan," Hinata suggested gently, "if you're cold, maybe you should come away from the window."

Sakura just pressed her skin against the glass again.

"I'm fine, Hina-chan… well maybe I'm a little tired, but that's all," the Haruno girl smiled, and the Hyuuga heiress felt a bit of relief start to spread through her body. She had thought for a moment there…

"So…" Hinata put the borrowed medical scroll down on the desk, "D-do y-you think Tsunade-sama would mind if you stayed here for the night? I mean, it's really cold out, at its snowing pretty hard out…"

Sakura's smiled brightened a bit.

"I don't think she'd mind. That is, if I've really got an invitation to stay."

"Sure!"

Hinata slipped out of the room quietly to go inform her father.

As soon as the door had closed, Sakura let out a small, raspy cough. Without thinking she wiped her mouth with the inside of her sleeve. Small petals dotted the soft fabric, their color only slightly darker than the wool.

--------

Hinata spread out two futons on the tatami floor. Twin murals of pale silver and pink flowers peeking out from fields of newly planted rice; they made one wish for the seemingly non-existent spring. Or they would have, if Hinata wasn't desperate for the hours to stretch to eternity.

"It's so cold out," Hinata said, "Do you think I should get some extra blankets? Sakura –chan?"

Still sitting on the window seat, Sakura held two movies in her hand. She stared at them, but in an out of focus sort of way. She was humming that strange tune again.

"_Watashi_ _soko hana desu…"_

Her singing stopped abruptly, changing into another harsh cough. Small red streams trickled past her lips, even as she tried to blot them.

"Sakura-chan!" Hinata dropped the pillow she was holding and raced over to her best friend. She helped the Haruno girl brace herself as another attack came, shaking her whole body.

Finally, it passed, and Hinata handed her guest a Kleenex. Sakura wiped at her mouth weakly.

"It's getting worse again, isn't it? Why didn't you tell me?"

The bluish-black haired kunoichi felt tears well up in her eyes, as she watched the other gasp softly, trying to catch her breath. Hurriedly, she took a key around her neck and unlocked the bottom desk drawer, handing Sakura a pill bottle.

Sakura swallowed three of the small green capsules, and instantly, she started breathing easier.

"Saku-chan, when are you going to tell some one?! There has to be something Tsunade-sama can do!"

Softly, the Godaime's apprentice shook her head, though she admired her friend's new found boldness.

"I can't tell any one yet; it's too soon. There's nothing anyone can do, so why make them worry. Hina, I told you what the Haruno kekkei genkai does to our bodies. I'm lucky to be alive at all…and you now, all the things that happened on that last mission didn't help much."

Tears broke over both girls eyes.

"A-at least-t tell Tenten-n and I-Ino. They need to k-know. A-and Temari's I-in the village, s-so"

"…Alright." Seeing Hinata sob made Sakura feel terribly guilty, but there wasn't anything anyone could do. It was for that reason that Sakura had been reluctant to tell the other girl anything. But, as it became clear she would have to rely on some one else o help her with this new…handicap, she had known who the best medic Nin to trust was.

_Sakura grimaced again, remembering why this technique was supposed to be used only if she was already going to die. 'Suicidal' had been her mother's word for it, and the pink haired kunoichi had to agree. Her energy drained steadily at an alarming rate, and her body screamed in pain, her muscles aching to somehow release the intensity of the elements and let it depart from her. Sakura pushed all this away, and continued to attack, the blades of her weapons freezing and burning like ice and fire at the same time. _

"**Few of us inherit the kekkei genkai. For those of us who do, it's a curse, not a blessing. The only people, who have lived through a battle after using that jutsu, were the first three clan founders, Haruhiyuu, her sister, Hanako, and Haruhiyuu's son Komori. Komori barely made it out of the fight; he died only a few hours later. Hanako lasted longer. She suffered internal bleeding and horrible pain and sickness that I'm not even going into. She made it a year, exactly. Haruhiyuu, obviously, lived to remarry, and have other children. But, she was in great suffering her entire life. Even on her good days, the hurting never really left. Some might say they were the lucky ones; I'm not sure if I agree or disagree. But ever since then, every Haruno to ever activate our bloodline has died in the process, within a matter of minutes."**

_Even as she remembered her mother's words she felt the effects catching up with her. Still, she continued fighting until she was almost out of chakra and was forced to collapse to the ground, panting and bleeding. Still, more and more enemies came._

_Clutching her side, Sakura gasped, struggling to remain in control, as another team worked together to try to destroy her. Frantically, she tried to keep her grasp on the jutsu, but she could feel it sliding from her grip. "__**NO!**__" she thought, sinking farther in her desperation. Despite how she clung to her last bit of chakra, it was running like water through her hands…and…she lost it. _

_Her perplexed but overjoyed opponents watched grinning as Sakura screamed in pain, as if pierced by a thousand blades_

_Sakura for her part felt as if an inferno of flame, the brutal force of the gale, the crushing weight of a rockslide and the bitter cold of a blizzard were consuming her. She screamed louder as the feeling grew stronger. Tears broke forth as she shielded her face and her opponent's kunai pierced her arms. Her strength gave out and she fell to the ground, lying there listlessly, eyes glazed over, as the mist, ninja mocked and kicked her_

"S-Saku-chan…" Hinata looked away.

"Could I have a pain killer? It hurts just a little."

Hinata looked away as she handed Sakura another bottle. The mere fact Sakura had admitted any pain scared her, because that meant she was in a lot of it.

It frightened her even more to face the cold hard truth: Her best friend as dying a slow and agonizing death.

----------

"Could I talk to you two, Ino-chan, Tenten-chan?"

The two girls looked up from giggling, and scooted over to let their friend sit down on the park bench. She looked tired and worn, and not at all happy about whatever it was she was going to say.

"Sure, billboard brow, shoot." Ino looked over the girl worriedly, "You seem …is every thing all right?" Tenten examined Sakura worriedly.

"Hey, guys!" yelled Temari running up the path, and brushing snow away from her face. She slowed down, trudged up to them, and sat down next to Ino, pulling her thick winter coat closer.

"I just got done with my mission about three days early! How great is that? Gaara's not expecting me back in Suna for another five days at least!"

"…_WOW, _that's great. That means you can hang out with us for three days right?" Ino asked excitedly.

"Yeah" Temari smiled, "So, what were you guys talking about before I got here?"

"We were just making sure Sakura wasn't feeling too depressed"

Instantly regretting the sound of her words, Tenten quickly added, "…Not that she doesn't have any reason to be, I mean after… well, yeah…"

Temari took in the medic Nin's thinness, pale skin, and tired-looking eyes.

Hey, are you sick, Sakura-chan? Or is it something so minor the great Haruno can be bothered to heal it? Hmm?" Temari still hadn't forgotten the way the girl had saved her brother's life.

A small choked sound escaped Sakura's lips.

"I-I'm…If I could heal myself, I would…"

All the kunoichi instantly went into high alert mode.

"Whats-wrong-should-we-bring-you-to-Tsunade?-You're-not-contagious-are-you? Should-you-be-resting-or-something?" Ino asked all in one breath.

Sakura slowly shook her head 'no' to each question.

"I…" her voice broke off in a raspy cough.

Within seconds, she was having another attack.

Bracing herself the best she could, she swallowed down another one of her pills, while the other girls pressed in close, trying to help her.

Temari pried Sakura's hand away from her mouth. Shocked at what she saw, she stared for a minute, and then whispered, "Oh my -"

Tenten's gasp cut her off.

"Whatever you two are gasping at cut it out! Our friend is having some kind of attack he- "

the blonde stopped as she saw the quickly growing blood spots splattered all up and down Sakura's delicate, gloved wrist and fingers.

Immediately putting her arm behind her friend's back to support her, Ino started to take control,

"Tenten, go get help, ASAP!!! Temari, get me some type of cloth, and pull out any medicine you've got!!!"

Ino tried to remember what she was supposed to do in a situation like this, but she could barely hear herself think over her patient's coughs. It didn't help that the patient was one of her best friends.

Sakura passed out.

---------

Tsunade anxiously poured her chakra into her student's limp form with growing hopelessness as she realized what her student was suffering from.

"_It can't be…the Haruno don't have a kekkei genkai…its not anywhere in the records…" _she thought "_but the symptoms all add up: her weight loss that I cornered her about yesterday, the signs of prolonged fatigue, severe chakra depletion at certain moments, but an unusually high count of cells, the chakra stress around the heart, and low white and blood cell count…" _

After several fretful minutes (all of which seemed like hours) Sakura lay peacefully on the bed, blinking up at Tsunade.

Although the blonde wanted to scream at her almost-daughter, and demand what was going on, she didn't.

"T-Tsunade-se-sensei?"

"Shhh, Sakura-chan" the sannin's eyes were sad, "why didn't you tell me? A kekkei genkai? Sakura…the state your in…you should have already been in the hospital, and you know it. Why didn't you come to me?"

"I-I didn't want you to worry," Sakura said meekly, not having the strength to argue.

"Sakura!" Tsunade's eyes grew hard, though on the inside she was trembling like a newborn kitten, "the fact that you're…"

"Dying?" offered the younger kunoichi, a sad, wry smile on her face.

"…In this condition," the blonde woman continued as if nothing had happened, "is something to worry about!!!"

Sakura just blinked at her again, and then asked, "How much do you know?"

"Not much, only what I've deduced from your symptoms."

"Hina-chan knows everything…" Sakura leaned back weakly into her pillow, her breath now coming in short pants "but please… don't be angry at her…I asked her not to say anything… she was just keeping her promise to me…"

"_No," _Tsunade thought, panic stricken, "_I can't…no, not like Nawaki and Dan and Jaraiya…" _

"Alright," she agreed, trying to keep her voice soft and soothing without trembling. She sat there for a minute, just watching the medic turned patient. She didn't move until Sakura was soundly asleep. Then, she tucked the girl in gently, the way a mother would, and walked out.

Shizune looked up at the sound of her footsteps.

"So…" she began, but the Hokage cut her off.

"Shizune," the Godaime ordered, "keep Sakura here, in my personal apartment until she's strong enough to be moved, and then get her to the hospital right away. I want her on a heart monitor, morphine drip, or some other painkiller, and a ventilator, pronto. If she has another attack, give her one of the pills in her pocket, and contact me immediately! I'll fill out the details on her condition myself after I talk to the other girls. But if you notice anything abnormal, anything at all, you write it down. It could save her life. Am I making myself clear?"

Y-yes" said Shizune, a little overwhelmed. What could possibly be so wrong with her "little sister" that it caused Tsunade to act so maternal and angry and frightened and demanding all at the same time?

Tsunade ignored her older apprentice's looks, marching down the hall, and slamming open the door to the spare council room where the other kunoichi were waiting.

Ino managed to stutter, "I-is she-e…?"

"She's resting in my room until it's safe to move her to the hospital. I'm having her put on life support, at once. She's drained and barely talking, but that's beyond what I was expecting, so count your blessings," she turned her livid amber eyes to Hinata, who had met the others outside the Hokage guard tower as they tried to find Tsunade.

"She said you'd explain, Hinata, and quite frankly, she's in no shape for an interrogation, so I hope you can."

All eyes were on the Hyuuga girl.

Shaking, Hinata explained the situation: that Sakura had used the clan kekkei genkai, and was now dying from it.

Ino started stammering senselessly, while Temari sat there frozen like an ice statue. Tenten burst into tears.

Tsunade looked away, struggling to maintain composure. When she finally did speak, her voice came out rough, and choked.

"I-I see. You all should leave now, so I can treat her. I don't want to see you within five yards of the tower or the hospital until tomorrow morning, got it? And if this gets out, I know who to hang."

"B-but, G-Godaime-sama…" protested Tenten.

"I said go!" the older woman screamed, and the teenagers turned heel and ran.

As soon as she was unable to sense their chakra, the sannin let her defenses slip.

"Sakura…" she murmed, "please, not Sakura, too…"

Soft sobs echoed through the otherwise empty air. Iruka, still partially stunned at all he had witnessed, slipped away from the door where he had been waiting to give the Godaime his report, and hurried off unnoticed.


	2. My Question

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

**By Shiroihato**

**Chapter Two **

**Watashi no Shijun**

**(My Question)**

This was definitely not what he had expected when he had come to report on the simple mission he had been given, which was now all but forgotten.

Slowly, he trudged along the worn path, kicking the snow absent-mindedly. Faces flashed in front of him- Tsunade's at Dan and Nawaki and Jaraiya's funerals, Naruto's when he heard the news, Kakashi's…

"That's what I'll do!" he exclaimed suddenly, looking up, "…I wish somebody else could do it though… he's not gonna be happy…"

-----Break

Kakashi sighed as Anko, his girlfriend of three months, tapped her foot a furious look on her face.

"What did I tell you?

"But, An-"

"No excuses!" The jounin's eyes were furious, and the copy nin didn't like her tone of voice.

"I-" The silver haired man was saved by a knock on the door.

"I'll get that!"

Running to the battered front door, Kakashi threw it open. Seeing the man on the other side of the threshold, he sighed.

"Iruka, not now…Anko's already furious at me for…"

"Kakashi, this is serious!"

Something in the teacher's voice made the Hatake stop.

"Tell Anko you two can pick up the fight later. You need to get the hospital, A.S.A.P. But… well..

------break

Sakura sighed, staring at the ceiling, listening to her shishou pound down the hallway. Closing her eyes, she tried to calm herself by counting the beeps of the heart monitor.

The irritating sound her ventilator made as she breathed slowly, in and out, was already getting on her nerves. It wasn't really necessary, but she didn't want to be the one to point that out to an already distraught Tsunade. Silently, she removed it from her face, shutting off the machine as quickly as she could. It felt nice to take such deep breaths on her own.

For just a moment, she sat there, completely relaxed. The pink haired girl was on the verge of forgetting. For just a second, she wasn't the patient. She was simply in a hospital room, doing some extra hours, listening to the steady rhythm that represented SOMEONE ELSE'S heartbeat, not hers. But that all was lost as she felt a familiar chakra just behind her. She had no choice but to return to reality.

"Kakashi-sensei," she asked in a voice so soft he had to strain to hear her, "What do you think it will be like to die?"

Her sensei's eyes widened in shock, and then narrowed.

"Sakura?! Who … whoever did this to you…I'll make them pay…"

A chuckle escaped her lips at the irony. It was a sound he had never expected to hear coming from her lips, and he was confused.

"_What could have possibly happened to little Sakura-chan?" _He didn't even stop to think about how she wasn't so little anymore.

He felt sharp-clawed fingers tearing at his heart at the mere guilty smile on the kunoichi's face.

"You can't, Kakashi –sensei. I did this to myself," she didn't look at him, "You didn't answer my question…"

"How…" he breathed.

"Ask Tsunade-sensei. You still didn't answer me. Do you not know? Or…are you afraid to answer. I…I really need to know."

"You're not going to find out, anytime soon. I- I'm going to go straighten this out with Godaime-sama. It has to be a mistake of some kind…" he said, shaking as he backed out the door.

Anko, standing just outside, immediately pushed all thoughts of anger out of her mind. She wished she could say anything to him, anything to comfort either one of them. After all, hadn't Sakura just recently started calling her neesan? Instead, all she could do was stand there, watching her boyfriends when the few, subtle tears came, the ones she had thought she'd never see.

They didn't embrace. Anko and Kakashi seldom did. But something inside of them was linked, and Anko wanted to die underneath the wait of the shared grief.

------break

Naruto walked briskly down the road, a smile on his face.

"It feels good to be in Konoha, after such along mission!" he thought, "I can't wait to see Sakura-chan! I wonder if she wants to go to Ichiraku's with me. The Land of Autumn doesn't even really know what ramen is! And no matter what that old lady said, no one's better than Ichiraku!"

A soft wind rustled softly through his golden hair, and he turned, sensing a familiar presence. Sure enough, there she was: his girlfriend. She looked so beautiful, the sunset glimmering off of her soft pink locks and all of the surrounding snow. Her cheery red coat stood out brilliantly against the dusty green, white glazed pine trees that surrounded them to either side. Her bare hand, exposed in the light, seemed pale, as she reached to touch the prickly needles adorning the tree branch. But it was probably, only the lighting.

"Stop staring, baka," she teased him gently, "If you have time to stare at me, you should be training!"

He laughed, knowing not to take her too seriously. He walked up behind her, fastening something small, golden, and crimson around her neck.

"Huh?" she asked, touching the kanji dangling off the delicate gold chain, and gave him a questioning look.

He laughed again at her puzzled expression.

"It's a good luck charm. I picked it up on my mission. I thought you'd like it."

"A good luck charm?" she gave him a joking grin "Why would I need one of those? After all, I've got you. I'd think that'd be enough!"

The kunoichi's expression softened; as Naruto, laughed and put a sheepish hand behind his head, he missed the bittersweet look of happiness that flashed through her eyes.

"Naruto? Thank you."

"Oi! Naruto" Kiba's voice rang out from behind them as he rounded the corner, "Want to go for some ramen? I'm starving! You have to pay for yourself, but I'll pick up the tab for Sakura."

"Hey, Inuzuka, isn't it rude to only pay for one of us?!"

"Well, if I could trust you not to rob me blind…"

Sakura turned to face Naruto.

"You go on. I'll catch up in just a minute."

"You sure?" he looked at her with new founded concern. She just smiled at him.

"Yeah, I just need a moment to myself."

Naruto dived into his bed, instantly burrowing under a mound of blankets, trying to escape the cold. Rolling over onto his side, his gaze fell on a picture frame sitting on his bedside table. It was he and Sakura, laughing, and sticking their tongues out at Kakashi, who was newly adorned with snowflakes that looked like powdered sugar. Anther snowball was caught in time, forever sailing towards Anko's laughing face.

**There was something wrong with your mate.**

Naruto sat up, startled at the voice.

**It's just me kit. Calm down.**

Naruto sighed as he recognized the Kyuubi's voice.

"Sakura's not my 'mate'!" he thought angrily, "She's my girlfriend!"

**And the difference is…? **

"Sakura-chan is fine."

Still, he couldn't help but think back to the meal at Ichiraku's, and how pale she had seemed…and those circles under her eyes weren't comforting either. He thought about it, relieving without further input from the fox.

"That's it" he said aloud, suddenly, "She's probably depressed. I mean, her clan was only massacred…what, five months ago? I'll just have to find a way to cheer her up."

Still, he didn't sleep well that night. In the end he just sat at the window, gazing out at the perfect winter night sky.

He fixed his eyes on the North Star, which had been the first star to appear that night.

"_Fukurokuju, God of Happiness_" he wished, though he didn't really believe in the "old Gods" as he had come to think of them, "_Kichijooten Godess of Happiness, please watch over Sakura-chan for me. She makes me happy, even when she's angry at me, and I'm scared for my life .I mean, I'm just so glad she keeps noticing me at all. I want her to be happy again, too, that's all. You guys can handle that, right? I mean, you lead me to her, so obviously I did something right. So, please, do me a favor and take care of her."_

Naruto felt a bit foolish as he broke from the prayer. He wasn't even sure he had done it right; He had never been involved in the national religion. Bowing his head again, he said a quick prayer to a different, foreign god, said to be a God of mercy. He had always felt a strange atraction to the Christian god, though he was confused greatly by the idea of the three forms being separate yet the still one.

But most of all, he would do anything for his Sakura-chan. And so he prayed to the "One God", hoping he'd take pity on a non-believer, and gude the footsteps of them both.

**A/N: The background story is ****Shattered Glass****, one of my previous fics, but I intend to add in flash backs where needed, so you probably won't have to read that. (Although, I'd appreciate it if you did, and would be so kind as to review!)**

EDIT: I'm a firm Christian myself, just so you know, although I can figure out whether I'm Methodist like Mom, Catholic like Dad (the least likely), or Lutheran like my BFF, and the church I had joined for quite a while. It nearly killed me to put The One God phrase in parenthesis. The Lord keep you, regardless of faith.

**-Shiro**


	3. Good Luck Charm

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

By Shiroihato

Chapter Three

Shoufuku 

(Good Luck Charm)

Naruto ambled slowly, yawning, towards Ichiraku. Normally, he wouldn't be up this early, but he had to find Iruka before he spoke to Sakura. He had a feeling the man had been avoiding him.

Stepping out of the nipping cold, and into the warmth of the restaurant, he spotted a familiar scarred chuunin. He walked over and sat down next to the teacher. Ayame, without bothering to ask, began to prepare his usual.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei!"

Surprised, Iruka dropped his chopsticks into his bowl, and swore.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei! I need to ask you a question……while I was gone… did Sakura-chan get into some kind of trouble or something?"

The older man looked his student over, and decided that the use of equivocation was the best tactic to use in this situation. He slurped slowly on his noodles, took a drink of his tea, and wiped his mouth, drawing everything out.

"Now what would make you say that?" he asked, finally.

"I dunno… she just seemed kinda off, you know?" The blonde's brow furrowed, "Maybe she's just depressed. Yeah, that's probably it…"

His mind wandered back to that horrible night, five months ago last week…

_**Tsunade quietly closed the living room door behind her. Every one gathered in the dining room looked up.**_

"_**How is she?" Kakashi asked in a choked voice.**_

_**Tsunade shook her head.**_

"_**I honestly don't know how she could have torn her body up so badly. Let me put it this way: the amount of pain she's in would send me screaming," the Hokage looked down at the floor, "but I think she's in too much shock right now to notice. And, I gave her enough medicine to knockout one of us sannin. She'll pull through, but…"**_

"_**She'll never be the same again," finished Naruto softly**_

_**Sakura stopped.**_

"_**Kaachan…Touchan…" she whispered, horrified. She had reached her house.**_

_**Smoke and ashes were everywhere. Bodies lay in piles, some of them belonging to children no older than two or three…**_

_**Sakura felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Naruto.**_

"_**I knew you'd run," he said softly, kneeling beside her "Sakura, I'm sorry."**_

_**She abruptly threw her arms around him, wincing.**_

"_**Don't… don't leave me…please not you, too…"**_

"_**I won't. Shhh, I'm here. I won't leave, I promise."**_

"_**Naruto why? Why did they…"**_

_**Looking at the destruction, he didn't have an answer**_

"Yeah," he said quietly, "that's probably it… Iruka-sensei…Did we… you know… well… I mean, what tore her body up so bad that night, anyway? What jutsu; did Tsunade make sure its not still hurting her? I've heard things like that can happen, and she nearly died three or four times that night…"

His conversation partner (if you could call him that) choked on his ramen.

"Uh, Here, Ayame!" he said suddenly, slapping a few bills on the table "This is what I owe you right?"

As the brown haired girl opened her mouth, he shushed her. "If it's too much, keep the change. If it's not enough, put it on my tab! I just realized I'm late for... a meeting! Yeah, that's it, a meeting!" With that, he raced off.

Sakura grimaced as she stepped in a patch of particularly slushy snow. She wished the powdery stuff would make up its mind and either melt completely or stay frozen. But, looking up at the sky, she could guarantee that snowflakes would cover Konoha like icing on a cake within a few hours…

"Sakura-chan!"

She tensed as she heard the familiar voice behind her.

"Hey Sakura-chan," her boyfriend exclaimed, running to her side, "Do you want to go do something together? I mean, just the two of us?"

The kunoichi knew she should refuse if she wanted to be able to hide her… condition from him. But there was something about the look in his eyes. There was something buried there, and she was intrigued. For the first time in a long time, his emotions weren't written on his face for her to read. There was something different, and she didn't know what it was. And so, her curiosity got the better of her.

"Baka," she smiled warmly, "Okay, sure."

Clutching the toy panda Uzamaki had won closely to her chest, she turned to him smiling.

"How did you know about the winter festival here in the post town?"

"I saw the ads on my way back to the village!" he replied, cheerfully, attempting to put an arm around her waist. She shook it off. An unreadable expression passed over his face, and he stopped. He turned so that he could see her better, placing both hands on her shoulders. Looking her in the eyes, he asked quietly, "Sakura-chan, what's wrong?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?" her heart started to race.

Naruto tilted his head.

"I can barely sense your chakra, even though you're right next to me. And you seem really pale and thin. What are you hiding from me?"

"I'm not h-" she started coughing abruptly.

"Sakura-chan?!"

Gasping for breath, she took one of her pills from her pocket swallowing it painfully.

A look of horror dawned on the jinchuuriki's face.

"I'm fine…" she managed to say, but he wasn't buying it. Sighing, she took his hand in hers; pulling him behind her as she walked with quick, deliberate paces.

When she finally found a place where she believed no one could overhear them, she stopped.

Pulling him close, she whispered, "Naruto …"

His grip tightened on her hand.

"Naruto…I'm sorry…"

A million possibilities ran through his head. Had she found someone new? Had she decided, like Sasuke, that bonding would only bring her pain, that the best thing to do would be to hold the world at arm's length? Or was he simply not good enough? Was she on drugs? Maybe those pills were cocaine or something… He really didn't like the sound of any of the theories.

"Naruto, I'm dying…"

That had been the last thing he was expecting to hear. He stood there for a moment, completely stunned, as his brain tried to process this newest bombshell.

"W-what?!"

She let go of his hand, and looked away.

"The night my clan was… the night of the …THAT night… I used our clans' secret technique, our kekkei genkai, Elemental Release. And now, it's killing me. I'm sorry."

Her voice sounded almost clinical, as if she had just told a patient some minor news, something that concerned her not in the least. The tone didn't fit her words at all. But he knew there had to be a reason she wouldn't look him in the eyes.

A strangled sound escaped his lips, and his ears rang with the sound of her words, the cue for his whole world to crash around him. Sakura… dying? Life without the cheery pink-haired girl… he couldn't even imagine it. She was one of the last things tying him to humanity…

No…

Pain, washing over him…

Pain and guilt reflected as if by a mirror in her beautiful emerald eyes as she finally met his gaze…

_But we're one…_

There had to be someway to stop it. Tsunade had to know something… but then he remembered the Godaime's troubled face, the tear streaks on her face he had been too afraid to point out…

Crushing the Haruno to him, he managed in a terrified voice, "How … when…?"

"7th months… that's all I … well, you know."

He felt cold moisture running down his skin, but he wasn't sure who was crying, him or her. He held on to her in desperation, as if to let go would bring her life to an end even faster. And he knew when she fell; his entire world would go with her. He would be left with nothing because she was his everything. Behind her back, his fist clenched.

"I swear, Sakura, I'll find a way to fix you, to make you better!"

"Naruto…" she stepped back at him, with one of those ironic smiles that seemed to be her new trademark, "super glue won't fix something once it's shattered."

His expression grew hard.

"Then I won't use super glue! I'm not going to give up on you! Don't talk about yourself like that!"

He pulled her close again, and this time she didn't jerk away. And to think, only two days ago, his most serious concern had been finding her the perfect Christmas present. Now it wasn't the five weeks 'till December 25th he was worried about.

"7th months…" he thought, a hole already being gnawed through his heart.


	4. Letters I

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

By Shiroihato

Chapter Four

Shokansuu- Ichi 

(Collected Letters- Vol. 1)

Gaara,

Hey, this is me from Konoha. I've got a favor to ask. A BIG one-

I need to stay in Konoha, for Sakura-chan. I'll probably need to be here about seven months. I'm already staying until I get the letter with your answer. Tenten-chan has her own apartment, and I'm crashing in the guest room. Please Gaara! Sakura's dying

I just want to be there for her. Gaara, her body… how do I phrase this? Her body's killing itself. She used her Kekkei Genkai, a suicidal technique, or at least that's what Hina-chan says. I haven't seen Sakura since before she was released from the ICU two days ago. (She had an attack, and nearly suffocated until she rammed this funny pill down her throat. She was coughing up blood, Gaara, BLOOD!) I think she was with Naruto yesterday; he certainly looks depressed. But the thing is, (I heard this from Hina-chan who heard it from both Saku-chan and Hatake-sama) there's no cure. Even Tsunade can't find one.

Please, Gaara, grant your big sister a favor, I'm begging you! Let me stay for seven months! That's all she's got left. After that, you can keep me reigned in Tsuna for the rest of my life if you like, just, please, let me stay!

-Temari

-------

Temari,

Stay in Konoha.

-Gaara

Shikamaru,

Shikamaru, you'd better get your lazy butt back to the village, ASAP! I don't care about your mission, get it done quick and come home! Tell Chouji the same thing! I promised I wouldn't tell

Ugh, okay, now how do I say this with out breaking my promise? You know what I can't. I'm just gonna have to bend it a little. Something's wrong with Sakura, and you need to get back here. It's serious, and none of us are handling it well! Pass the message on to Lee and Neji, too. They're on your mission, right? Hurry!

-Ino

Ps. I didn't break my promise! I didn't tell you WHATS wrong with her, and she said, specifically, "Don't tell any one I'm, um, (one word, verb) (preposition) (article) (noun, two words/ compound)!"

-------

Ino,

Fine, fine, we're on our way back to the village. What a drag. Neji's curious, Lee's sobbing, and Chouji's… being Chouji. Ino, tell me those words are what I think they are! Does the first one start with a D? I guess I'll see when we get back; I won't have a address for you to send this too. But, please, tell me the first word's not "dying"! What a drag, writing that all out!

-Shikamaru

Ps. Next time, make your hints a little harder…that was way too easy… and now I'm freaking out…what a drag.

-------

Kakashi,

As I haven't been able to get a hold of you any other way, I suppose the ANBU with this letter will suffice, you ------! Sakura's having an experimental surgery, Monday. There's not guarantee it'll work. In fact it might drain her some, if you know what I mean. But we've really got no other choice.

You Sakura's guilty that she made you upset. Your not showing your face routine (I'm not talking about your damn mask!) has got her scared and upset. She's a medic nin, and therefore has studied the theory that depression and suicidal impulses are, in some cases, genetic. She also knows parts of your past, you damn ------. Imagine how she mush be ------ feeling! You better ------ be in that waiting room when she comes to.

You're not the only one who's scared here; you have to ------ realize that. What the hell do you think you're doing? Extra stress over a ------ isn't what any one needs right now!

-Tsunade

-------

Godaime-sama,

Okay.

-Kakashi


	5. Shintsuu

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

By Shiroihato

Chapter Four

Shokansuu- Ichi 

(Collected Letters- Vol. 1)

Gaara,

Hey, this is me from Konoha. I've got a favor to ask. A BIG one-

I need to stay in Konoha, for Sakura-chan. I'll probably need to be here about seven months. I'm already staying until I get the letter with your answer. Tenten-chan has her own apartment, and I'm crashing in the guest room. Please Gaara! Sakura's dying

I just want to be there for her. Gaara, her body… how do I phrase this? Her body's killing itself. She used her Kekkei Genkai, a suicidal technique, or at least that's what Hina-chan says. I haven't seen Sakura since before she was released from the ICU two days ago. (She had an attack, and nearly suffocated until she rammed this funny pill down her throat. She was coughing up blood, Gaara, BLOOD!) I think she was with Naruto yesterday; he certainly looks depressed. But the thing is, (I heard this from Hina-chan who heard it from both Saku-chan and Hatake-sama) there's no cure. Even Tsunade can't find one.

Please, Gaara, grant your big sister a favor, I'm begging you! Let me stay for seven months! That's all she's got left. After that, you can keep me reigned in Tsuna for the rest of my life if you like, just, please, let me stay!

-Temari

-------

Temari,

Stay in Konoha.

-Gaara

Shikamaru,

Shikamaru, you'd better get your lazy butt back to the village, ASAP! I don't care about your mission, get it done quick and come home! Tell Chouji the same thing! I promised I wouldn't tell

Ugh, okay, now how do I say this with out breaking my promise? You know what I can't. I'm just gonna have to bend it a little. Something's wrong with Sakura, and you need to get back here. It's serious, and none of us are handling it well! Pass the message on to Lee and Neji, too. They're on your mission, right? Hurry!

-Ino

Ps. I didn't break my promise! I didn't tell you WHATS wrong with her, and she said, specifically, "Don't tell any one I'm, um, (one word, verb) (preposition) (article) (noun, two words/ compound)!"

-------

Ino,

Fine, fine, we're on our way back to the village. What a drag. Neji's curious, Lee's sobbing, and Chouji's… being Chouji. Ino, tell me those words are what I think they are! Does the first one start with a D? I guess I'll see when we get back; I won't have a address for you to send this too. But, please, tell me the first word's not "dying"! What a drag, writing that all out!

-Shikamaru

Ps. Next time, make your hints a little harder…that was way too easy… and now I'm freaking out…what a drag.

-------

Kakashi,

As I haven't been able to get a hold of you any other way, I suppose the ANBU with this letter will suffice, you ------! Sakura's having an experimental surgery, Monday. There's not guarantee it'll work. In fact it might drain her some, if you know what I mean. But we've really got no other choice.

You Sakura's guilty that she made you upset. Your not showing your face routine (I'm not talking about your damn mask!) has got her scared and upset. She's a medic nin, and therefore has studied the theory that depression and suicidal impulses are, in some cases, genetic. She also knows parts of your past, you damn ------. Imagine how she mush be ------ feeling! You better ------ be in that waiting room when she comes to.

You're not the only one who's scared here; you have to ------ realize that. What the hell do you think you're doing? Extra stress over a ------ isn't what any one needs right now!

-Tsunade

-------

Godaime-sama,

Okay.

-Kakashi


	6. Fade

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, sorry this took me so long to get up! I'm on vacation, and I haven't had time to type everything up. And my granparents' (the ones I'm visiting) laptop doesn't have microsoft word, so I have to use word pad. That means no spell check, hence the multiple typos/ grammar and spelling errors that are probably scattered through out the document. Make sure to read my closing note! **

Sakura, sighed, and pulled her scarf over her face. While it was warmer than it had been the day before, it was sill cold outside, however unusual that was for Konoha. She ambled slowly down the street, turning her head to the side when she heard angry yelling. Looking over h shoulder, she saw Ino pacing furiously, chewing someone out over the phone. Kakeru was trying to calm her down, but it wasn't working.

"I don't care about the cost or the season or the difficulty, just get the..." here she stopped, seeing Sakura. Bahsfully, she waved, and walked back inside the flower shop, Kakeru in tow.

The pink haired girl laughed softly, and then kept walking.

"Ino will always be Ino," she murmured as she dropped small whie envelope in the mailbox. Checking her watch, she realized she had about three hours until she had to go to the hospital.

"Perfect..."

----break

Anko let Sakura into Kakashi's apartment with a worried look on her face.

"He's still not really himself, kid. Sakura, don't be surprised if he's..." the black-haired kunoichi tried to find a way to phrase things without cussing; she knew Sakura probably din't want to hear that at the moment, " ...unresponsive."

"Don't worry, neesan."

Quietly, the Haruno slipped into Kakashi'sbedroom. She looked aound her at the faded photos, dust covered scrolls, and dirty laundry that lie in piles on the floor. She shivered.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

The silver haird man blinked, but that was the only sign of recognition he gave her. She sat down gingerly on the foot of his bed.

He looked at her quickly, and then looked away.

"Sakura." he grunted.

Silently, she slipped her arms around him. His eyes widened.

"Kakashi-sensei," she said softly, "please, talk to me. Anko's worried about you, so am I. Kakashi-tousan?"

"The surgery," he managed, "it's today, isn't it." Before she could reply, he continued."Sakura, why didn't you tell me."

She looked at him with the same wistfull smile from the hospital.

"Because there wasn't any use in two of us being scared about something no one can change...that's what I told myself, anyways. I proably made the wong choice...I seem to do that lot."

Wordlessly, he huged her, letting the tears fall from her eyes. Hi student, dying... it wasn't something he wanted to come terms with... but, maybe...maybe Anko was right after all. He needed to pull himself togethor, for her sake.

"Watashi no Musume", he whispered, "Watashi no manamasume"

Anko gently shut the door. Those words... in that tone of voice...

Watashi no muzume

My daughter

Watashi no manamusume

My precious daughter

------break

Naruto and Kakashi sat silently in the waiting room.

How long could this surgery of Sakura's possibly take-

and then they saw Tsunade. The sannin's face was grim.

"How.." both men started, but Tunade cut them off.

"The operation didn't work..." she sighed, "it didn't work at all. I- We nearly lost her several times, and she's going to need a chakra transfusion. Other than that, she's okay... but when she wakes up, she'll be depressed."

The woman's brow furrowed.

"There's something else," Kakashi said. It wasn't a question.

"I'm not...entirely certin how this will afect her."

"But you just said it didn't work!" exclaimed Naruto.

"We're going to have to watch her closely for the next moth or so. Her body's gaurd is down. She'll be prone to attacks. Very prone."

----break

( December 23)

Naruto's eyes scanned the page he had taken from Sakura's diary quickly. His hands shook, and he lmost dropped the newspaper he was using to hide it.

"Faded Photographs" she had written, "By H.S."

"Faces floating

past, smiling

like the faded

photographs dotting my

living room

I smile weakly

back and force

myself to wake

from this reaccuring

dream, trembling

-memory

-haunting

coursing through my veins

such a subtle poison

blood of my

ancestors

a gift

or is it?

fading slowly

'till I am

just another faded

photograph, smiling

emptily back at you

He shuddered. He didn't like the tone of the poem. It wasn't a topic he particuarlly wanted to explore. A voice startled him fom his thoughts.

"Naruto," Sakura aked softly.

"What is it?" the blonde looked at her.

"I...I don't feel.."

Abruptly, she stopped talking. her hand latching onto his arm, as she started struggling to breath.

Naruto cursed under his breath, dropping the papers and reaching into his pocket. He had started carrying her pills with him now. He pried away her bloodied hand and forced it between her lips. His arms encircled her waist, waiting for her to stop writhing.

"Naruto!" Ayame sounded afraid, "What's going on?! Should I go get a medic?!"

The Uzumaki boy ignored her, as Sakura began to violently jerk. Frightened passerby started ylling, but he blocked them out.

"Na..." the kunoichi gasped, "-ruto ...Tsunad..." she collapsed unconcious.Immediantly, he droppd to his knees, still holding her, and ook her pulse, only to find there wasn't one."

"TSUNADE," he screamed as he picked her up ridal style and ran in the direction of the hospital.

A/N: Cliff hanger! Yes, I'm evil. What else is new? You might have noticed,I added names to all the chapter. The next chapter wil be called "Flower, Cranes, and Candles" Do you hear the Christmas carols? The next chapter takes place Dec. 23- Dec. 25th. If this was a little lame, I'm sorry. I can't focus...don't know why.


	7. Christmas Wish

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

A/N: Okay, to my many readers and reviewers… well, thanks for reading and reviewing! I'd especially like to thank Winter-Rae (who has reviewed on EVERY single one of my chapters) and my one of my BFF's screamingcrazyproctorlady (who has put of with many cell phone minutes wasted just so she could help me with this story!)

I got to type this up a lot earlier than planned. (Go Dad!!! Not that you're reading this…at least, I hope you're not…)

Just for future reference: when you see W A R N I NG: from here on out, it's absolutely crucial you read it. You'll see what I mean…

Anyways, here's chapter 7!

Tsunade looked at the digital numbers glowing at her from the thermometer. Satisfied, she put it away.

"Her temperature is normal; so is her blood pressure and her pulse," She said softly, not wanting to wake her sleeping student. Actually, she was a bit surprised that the girl was sleeping as soundly as she was. Sakura had dozed through everything, including when the older medic Nin had to change her I.V. Even though she understood how exhausting these fits were to the girl, if it weren't for the soft rising and falling of her chest, the Godaime would have thought she was experiencing a very different kind of slumber.

"So," Naruto asked, his tone hushed and nervous as he clutched to his girlfriend's hand, "can she be released when she wakes up?"

Tsunade shook her head. Naruto's eyes grew worried, or rather, more so. She noticed that the worry never really seemed to leave his eyes, now. Clearing her throat, the sannin explained, trying unsuccessfully to keep her concern from creeping into her tone.

"I'm pretty sure she's fine now, for the time being at least, but I'm not going to take any chances. I need her to stay here, close to medics and life support, until I'm sure she'll be fine outside the hospital."

"But…Tsunade-baachan…tomorrow's-"

"Christmas Eve, I know!" the woman's voice was harsh and angry, "But would you rather I lay her life on the line?!"

That shut the blonde shinobi up immediately. Tsunade sighed, feeling guilty for her misplaced anger and frustration, though she'd never let the boy know it. Gently, she turned back to her patient, removing the girl's headband and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Her eyes softened as she gazed at the Haruno's hitai-ate.

"Naruto," she said, her words calm and almost sympathetic now, "I just can't risk it, not with Sakura, even if that means keeping her in the hospital on Christmas, too. Now go home, and get some rest. Some one will call you if anything major happens."

Wordlessly, Naruto stood up. After kissing Sakura lightly on the fore-head, he walked out.

----break

Ino could remember that trip to the beach so well. It was burned into her mind, though at the time it had seemed just like any other vacation. Looking through the photo albums, she couldn't believe just how naïve she and Sakura had been. She closed her eyes and rested her head on her pillow, wishing they could be those little girls again.

And as if by magic, she was there. She could see it all so clear. Inoichi, her father, laughed as he talked to his wife, sitting on a blanket on the shore, the sunlight glinting off his ponytail. Ino's own short hair waved softly in the wind, and the waves lapped gently at her feet.

"Ino?" a timid voice asked, and there was Sakura, looking nervous, but all the cuter for it, the way little kids sometimes did. She shifted uncomfortably in her red one-piece and swim vest; Sakura had never been a strong swimmer.

"Ino?" she said again, this time a little louder, "thank you… for bringing me with you and everything, I mean."

Ino smiled warmly at her.

"No problem, Sakura. I'm really glad you came. It would be really boring if it was just me and my parents!" the blonde made a face, "come on, let's build a sand castle."

Soon the girls had grown tired of their messy project, and were playing among the waves.

"Ino!" the pink haired child exclaimed in a frightened voice, "I can't touch here!"

"Don't be a worry-wart! That's what that vest of yours is for, right?" Sakura slowly nodded. "Besides, I'll make sure nothing happens to you! I'm the best swimmer our age in Konoha! Why, I bet I'm even the best in all of the land of fire!"

Sakura's smile returned, and she gave Ino an I-don't-think-so look, for which her friend promptly dunked her. The girls laughed and played, splashing each other, until Ino spotted a familiar face on the shore.

"Hey, Sakura, there's Mrs. Nara! I think she brought cookies! And, Shikamaru's not even with her! Let's go say hi!"

With out a second though, she turned and started heading in the direction of the much wanted cookies. After she got to shallow water, she turned back to see how far her best friend had gotten, only to see a small red dot, waving her arms and yelling.

"_She was caught by the riptide!"_

"Daddy!" Ino screamed, and Inoichi looked up. He immediately spotted the frantic Haruno, who was getting pulled farther and farther out to sea. Jumping into the water, he swam toward her, and all his daughter could do was stand there, scared, and watch.

Finally, he reached the sand, with a shivering, frightened Sakura clinging to him. She gave Ino a hurt look that seemed to say _"You said you'd watch out for me."_

Sighing from a mixture of relief and guilt, Ino closed her eyes, searching for the right words to apologize. But, when she opened them again, the scene was gone. Instead, Sakura, the same age she was now, sat at the waters edge in a different swim suit and no swim vest, wiggling her toes in the sand. She turned back to a shivering Yamanaka.

"I told you you'd be cold in that bikini!" she laughed, as the breeze blew a little stronger, "At least you took my advice about wearing you hair up!"

Ignoring the other girl's scowl, she jumped to her feet, and started walking deeper into the water. Ino wasn't so sure that was something she should do; the sky was dark and cloudy, and the waves seemed rough, almost angry.

"Come on, Ino-pig! You're not afraid are you?!"

Nervously, Ino followed.

"_Since when was billboard-brow this fast?!"_

Then, for some reason, the blonde's legs stopped moving. She couldn't move no matter how much she willed it; she was stuck at knee-deep. "Forehead girl" was now long past deep; Ino could see her beginning to struggle. Caught by the current, she was being pulled adrift again- and this time there was no one to help her, except a trembling Yamanaka, who, try as hard as she might, could not start running.

"Help!" the Haruno screamed, her voice cutting off, as she was pulled under. When she emerged, all she had time to do was wave her hands, before the tossing, stormy waves reclaimed her. Even from where she stood, the other Kunoichi could see it: Sakura's lone hand just above the water, looking for all the world like a faerie's in the lightening, just a moment before in fell under the water.

Sakura didn't resurface, despite all of Ino's screaming. Then, the blonde heard her pink-haired companion's voice.

"_Ino," _it sounded out of breath, betrayed, and angry all at once "Ino_, why didn't you help me?"_

"I-"

"_I called and called, but you didn't help me, just like before…" _now only sadness could be heard _"why did you just sit there and watch me die? Do you hate me that much?"_

"_**Ino" **_

"Sakura, I'm sorry I-"

"_**Ino, stop it's-"**_

"Sakura, let me explain, you see-"

"_**Ino, wake up! It's just a dream!"**_

The terrified sat up, startled, to find herself safely in her own bed. Her mother handed a phone to her.

"Make it quick," Mrs. Yamanaka frowned, "Make it quick. It's only Christmas Eve, and you haven't spent any time with the family yet."

"Hello?"

"Hi," it was Tenten's voice on the other line.

"Hey, Ten. What's up?" The words came out sounding apprehensive.

"I just wanted to let you know, Sakura's finally awake. Tsunade-sama said she can't leave. We can't visit her either. Apparently, she "needs her rest". I.e. Tsunade can't handle us right now. I sure hope she's better by tomorrow. Otherwise everything we planned…"

"I know," Ino rubbed her temples. Man, how this all stunk.

------break

Hinata placed a dish of chips and dip on the coffee table of Sakura's apartment. No one even pretended to be interested, not even Chouji. The air itself seemed depressed.

"Man, I guess all that work went to waste," the Akimichi said, voicing everyone's thoughts, "She couldn't even make it out for Christmas Day."

Temari shot him a look, and then asked, "Has any one seen Naruto?"

All of a sudden, Kiba sat upright, almost hitting Hinata in the face. Akamaru barked. Kiba shushed him.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

He didn't bother explaining, "Get in position!"

-----break

Naruto put his hands over Sakura's eyes, just as she unlocked her front door.

"Naruto? What are you doing?" she asked, her voice a little weak.

"Trust me," was all the answer he would give, as he guided her in the front door, and down the hallway, into the living room. He flipped on the light, and took away his hand.

Sakura blinked, and then gasped. Christmas roses poured from expensive looking vases she knew she didn't own. (Funny, hadn't she seen Ino with one of those vases a few days ago?) The smell of gingerbread pervaded the air, and mingled with the scent of mint. Poinsettias were draped on the fireplace mantle, and mistletoe hung from the same. Her sparse furniture had been rearranged. A large tree stood in the corner of the room, glass ornaments twinkling in the soft glow of the lights that draped its branches. A brand-new soft, plush, white armchair rested next to the blazing fire, and one look told Sakura that she could never afford it. Her eyes caught sight of a small tag, and she went to read it.

"From Kakashi and Anko" she said aloud, and then turned to Naruto, "Are they here? Did they do all of this, too? Can I thank them?"

Coming out from her hiding spot, the chip platter balanced in one hand, Temari laughed. Sakura spun around, a grin spreading across her face when she saw who it was. The others emerged as well.

"Hey, don't give them all the credit," the sand Nin teased, "We all worked our tails off getting this place ready, even Shikamaru!"

The image of Temari forcing Shikamaru to work was just too much. Sakura had to giggle.

"Hey, kid," amusement rang through Anko's voice, "look up."

Doing as she was told, the owner of the apartment looked up and gasped again. Countless origami cranes hung from the roof, all folded neatly out of gold-flecked white paper.

The cranes," Hinata explained shyly, "well, you know the legend, right? That if a person was to fold a thousand paper cranes she'd surely get well… ah, w-well…" the Hyuuga started blushing.

"What she's trying to say," Shino broke in, surprising every one, "is that we all knew you'd probably never fold a thousand yourself, no offense…"

Kakashi finished off, "so the rookie nine here-"

"And my team!"

"-Yes and Gai's team-"

"And me!"

"And Temari folded a thousand for you."

"At least, the girls did," Tsunade laughed, startling the room's occupants as she walked in and Shizune picked up the rest of her sentence, "I'm afraid your boyfriend's rather helpless with paper art, Sakura-chan."

Said boyfriend was too afraid to make a comeback.

"Wow," was all Sakura could manage as she spun around, trying to take everything in at once. Happy tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you"

She stumbled ever so slightly, but that was all it took for Tsunade to lead her to the new chair.

"I'm bending a few rules as it is, kid," she grinned, "You need to rest. Sit. I suggest we open the presents."

-----break

Chouji munched happily on his chocolate as he watched Lee tease Neji endlessly. Tenten just blushed slightly as she held her new brooch in one hand, and restrained her boyfriend from murdering their teammate with the other.

Anko had taken Kakashi outside for a "talk"; the muted sound of her screaming echoed through the walls. No one could hear her words, however, a fact even Temari knew to be grateful for. Looking at her date, who was snoozing away even through the commotion, she sighed. Ino held up a plum-colored cashmere sweater set with a look of delight. Kiba absent mindedly wondered how Kakeru was going to pay his rent this month, as he held a blushing Hinata, who in turn was holding a squirming puppy.

Sakura was thinking the same thing. She laughed, stopping when she felt a pair of hands cover her eyes.

"What is it this time?" she inquired.

"Keep your eyes closed, okay?" She nodded, and gingerly, he fastened something cold and light around her neck. Gently, she pressed the tips of her fingers against it. Some kind of chain…?

"You can open them now…"

She saw a certain item from chapter five, and instantly Kiba decided that Kakeru probably wasn't the only one who was broke…

She grinned at him, and he bent over and kissed the top of her head. Shino made a gagging sound. Kurenai closed her eyes, the sight brining back memories of Asuma. She looked at the sleeping infant she held in her arms, and a peaceful feeling washed over her.

Tsunade made a small coughing noise, and Shizune handed her a package. She waited for the mayhem to die away, which it slowly did, and then handed the package to her younger surrogate daughter. It wasn't wrapped very prettily; it was bound in simple brown paper and twine, Sakura's name scrawled in the upper left hand corner. Still, from the way the sannin had been clutching it, the recipient had no doubts about its value. Slowly, she tore away the packaging, and pulled out the gift. A collective murmur passed through the room.

"Why don't you try it on? Tsunade asked, a little nervously. Sakura nodded slowly, and walked to her bedroom, gingerly donning the present.

She walked back out again, blushing.

"It was my grandmother's, the Lady Ichidaime's, from before she married. It was her favorite. She left it to me, to be passed on down our family tree. I decided that this was as close as it was going to get," the Godaime explained as Konoha's cherry blossom gently ran her fingers over the silk of the beautiful furisode-kimono. With bright eyes she turned her gaze to her sensei. "Thank you," she said.

Kakashi and Anko, who had just slipped back into the room, were overcome by the lovely sight.

Sakura was still pale and thin, but the kimono seemed to hide it. Her blue brocade obi was tied by Shizune (wearing a similar kimono, but not looking quite so pretty…) into a butterfly knot, the ends sweeping the floor gently. The gold cranes and pink cherry blossoms embroidered on the fabric seemed to glisten in the dimmed lamp light, out done only by her eyes.

"Since when did I have Kaguya-hime as a student?" Kakashi asked softly, looking at the delicate, princess-like creature in front of him, and finding it hard to believe it was really the Amazoness- warrior Haruno he knew.

"Thank you," the girl's voice conveyed every emotion, every word she left unsaid, and Tsunade felt that strange mother-like feeling bubble up again.

"She looks fitting for the future wife of the future rokudaime, ne?" Anko asked, nodding to Naruto and Sakura, and not realizing just what she was saying until the words were out of her mouth.

"Yes, she really does…"

Tenten walked up to this new found snow-faerie, handing her a parcel in different, more festive wrapping.

"It's cucumber melon scented. Not really all that festive, I know," she laughed as she placed a hand behind her head, looking at the thick, three-wicked candle in her friend's hands, "but I liked it, and thought it was relaxing, so I thought…"

"It's perfect," Sakura cut her off, "Does any one have a lighter?"

Kurenai handed over something Shikamaru was sure he recognized from a certain sensei…

Gently, the candle was placed in the front window. With her friends pressing her with questions, the sick Kunoichi explained.

"In the old days, when some one had somebody or something to pray for, they'd light a candle for each prayer. I'm lighting three: One for my clan, and one for Sasuke-k…for Sasuke."

"Who's the last one for?" Temari questioned softly, taken aback by the missing suffix, and sudden thoughtful mood.

"For all of us."

A/N: Well, I finally followed through and wrote a longer chapter, though this didn't come across nearly as smoothly as I had hoped. A few quick explanations:

1. Kaguya-hime is from the folk tale, "The Bamboo Cutter". According to wikipedia: One day while walking in the bamboo forest, an old, childless bamboo cutter called Taketori-no Okina (, "the Old Man who Harvests Bamboo"), comes across a mysterious, shining stalk of bamboo. Cutting it open, inside he finds a baby, the size of his thumb. Rejoicing to find such a beautiful girl, he takes her home and he and his wife raise her as their own child, naming her Kaguya-hime,( Princess Kaguya, _"radiant night princess"_). Thereafter, Taketori-no Okina found that whenever he cut down a stalk of bamboo, inside he found a small nugget of gold. Soon, he was rich, and Kaguya-hime grew from a small baby into a woman of usual size and extraordinary beauty. At first, Taketori-no Okina tries to sequester her from outsiders, but over time, the news of her beauty spreads.

Eventually, five princes come to Taketori-no Okina's residence to ask for Kaguya-hime's hand in marriage. The princes eventually persuade Taketori-no Okina to tell a reluctant Kaguya-hime to choose from one of the five princes. To this, Kaguya-hime concocts impossible tasks for the princes to accomplish. She will agree to marry the prince who manages to bring her a specified item. (All the princes fail, okay)

After this, the Emperor of Japan, called Tennō in Japanese, comes to see the strangely beautiful Kaguya-hime and upon falling in love asks her to marry him. Although he is not subjected to the impossible trials that thwarted the princes, Kaguya-hime rejects his requests for marriage as well, telling him that she was not of this country and thus could not go to the palace with him. She stays in contact with the Emperor but continues to rebuff his requests.

That summer, whenever Kaguya-hime would see the full moon her eyes filled with tears. Though her adopted parents worry greatly and question her, she is unable to tell them what was wrong. Her behavior becomes increasingly erratic until she reveals that she is not of this world and must return to her people on the moon. In some versions of this tale, it is said that she was sent to the earth as a temporary punishment for some crime, while others say it is because she was sent to earth for safety during a celestial war.

As the day for her to return approaches, the Emperor sets many guards around her house to protect her from the moon people, but when an embassy of "Heavenly Beings" arrives at the door of the Bamboo Harvester's house, the many guards are blinded by the strange light. Kaguya-hime announces that though she loves her many friends on earth, she must return with the moon people to her true home. She write sad notes of apology to her parents and to the Emperor, then gives her parents her own robe as a memento. She then takes a small taste of the elixir of life, attached it to her letter to the Emperor, and gives it to a guard officer. As she hands it to him, the feather robe is placed on her shoulders, and all of her sadness and compassion for the people of the Earth are forgotten. The heavenly entourage takes Kaguya-hime back to Tsuki-no Miyako (_the capital of the moon_) against her will, leaving her earthly foster parents in tears.

The parents become very sad and were soon put to bed sick. The guard officer returns to the Emperor with the items Kaguya-hime had given him as her last mortal act, and reported what had happened. The Emperor reads her letter and is overcome with sadness. He asks his servants "Which mountain is the closest place to heaven?", to which one replies that the Great Mountain of Suruga Province is the closest place to heaven. The Emperor orders his men to take the letter to the summit of the mountain and burn it, with the hope that his message would reach the now distant princess. The men are also commanded to burn the pot of elixir of immortality since the Emperor did not desire to live forever without being able to see her. The legend has it that the word _immortality_ became the name of the mountain, Mount Fuji. It is also said that the kanji for the mountain, (literally "Mountain Abounding with Warriors") is derived from the Emperor's army ascending the slopes of the mountain to carry out his order. It is said that the smoke from the burning still rises to this day. (In the past, Mount Fuji was much more volcanically active than today.)

2. Incase you didn't get: She saw a certain item from chapter five, and instantly Kiba decided that Kakeru probably wasn't the only one who was broke It's the necklace.

Please, keep R&R-ing. The next chapter is called "Gothic Lullaby"


	8. Gothic Lullaby

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

A/N: Well, for once I don't have much to say, not in my opening note anyway. My closing note is a different matter… but, then, you have to get there first, don't you? I guess I'll put in a quick disclaimer:

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, other than my OCs. I'm not brilliant enough to have come up with Kishimoto-sama's incredible plot or characters. However, I do own, once again, my OCS, my plot, and my titles… oh, and I have about 400 Naruto trading cards… but I don't think that counts… TT

W A R N I N G:

If you don't like OCs, I'm afraid you won't like the story from here on out. Don't flame me because I use them; I either won't pay attention or I'll flame you right back. And don't pull any of this "Mary Sue" stuff on me. I don't even know what a Mary Sue IS; much less do I care if I have one.

Haruno Sakura walked slowly down the streets of Konoha. All around her people would stop and stare; then blush and turn away when she caught them looking.

"Poor girl," the lady at the sushi booth whispered to a customer, "did you hear? She only has a few months left."

"And right after loosing her clan, too, the poor thing," the customer agreed, clucking and shaking her head.

"My little Ai practically adores her," a mother carrying a sleeping toddler added, "I don't know how I'm going to tell her that her "Hana-hime" won't be around to baby-sit for much longer. "

"Don't tell her, then," the man in the next booth selling lotto tickets spoke up.

"She'll find out at the funeral soon enough," his wife agreed shrugging.

The sushi woman started to concur, when Sakura walked by. Instantly, the whole party clammed up. She ambled on; ignoring the whispers pouring from the market place as she walked up to a booth selling hot drinks, the same one she and Naruto had been to the day before.

The clerk instantly stopped her conversation with her neighbor.

"H-how can I help you, dear?

"One small hot chocolate, please."

"Sure thing, honey."

Waves of sympathy poured off the woman, but at the same time, she didn't seem to want to be close to Sakura, as if the grief that had toughed the kunoichi's life was somehow contagious.

"It's on the house," she said, putting the drink on the counter and not looking her customer in the eyes.

Sakura was about to refuse, but then decided there wasn't much of a point.

"Thanks," she sighed, taking the drink, and walked off, trying not to notice all the murmuring that was going on.

"_I don't know how she takes it; she's handling everything so well. To well, actually," _Temari thought, as she silently tailed her friend to the now snow-less park.

------break

Sakura sat down on the same snow cold bench that she had sat at with Ino, Tenten and Temari. Gingerly, she traced patterns in the snow with her foot, while questions raced through her mind like wild fire. Most of them started with "why?". She shook her head as if to clear it. She sat there for a moment, but found the silence unbearable.

Softly she started humming, and then began to croon.

"_Amuuru, watashi hitokoe mimiwosumasu _

_Amuuru, kikoemasu ka? _

_Aki no kage suruha tsuiraku desu_

_Tsuiraku _

_Tsuiraku_

_Watashi tsuiraku desu_

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop beating_

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop bleeding_

_Do you hear me now?_

_Hikarakuyou_

_Hikarakuyou_

_Yukkuri hana__shindeimasu desu_

_Shindeimasu desu_

_Watashi soko hana desu _

_To Haru to naku toorimasu_

_Genzai Amuuru, watashi shibomu._

_Amuuru, kikoemasu ka?_

_Hikarakuyou_

_Hikarakuyou_

_Hikarakuyou_

_watashi nakiiru_

_Watashi nakiakasu_

_minna soto kikimorasu_

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop beating_

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop bleeding_

_Who is it that I'm crying for?_

_Konoue wakaran._

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop beating _

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop bleeding_

_So it seems…_

_Watashi no yume_

_Keep tearing me apart_"

"That's almost like a lullaby, the way you sang it, kid," a voice said softly, "But I wouldn't go singing that to anyone; it's a very gothic lullaby."

Sakura spun around to see a girl a few years older than she was, wearing a baggy, thread-bare coat, and faded jeans. Both joy and sorrow glistened in her violet eyes.

For just a second, there was quiet, the only sound being the wind rustling through the stranger's dark hair. Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she managed to place those eyes, that voice.

"Kumo-neesan?!"

A/N: Another cliff hanger! Yep, I'm evil. I already confirmed that, okay. A few notes:

1. The song is something I made up, called "Kokoro wo Soto" It's far from perfect, and I probably made a lot of translating errors, but by the time I got to where I was, I just didn't want to mess with it anymore. The translation of the lyrics goes like this:

"Love, hear my cry

Do you hear me calling?

Autumn shadows fall through the leaves

Falling

Falling

I'm falling

This heart

Won't stop beating

This heart

Won't stop bleeding

Do you hear me now?

Hikarakuyou

(Hikarakuyou is a Japanese expression that basically points out the evanescence (impermanence) of mortal things. Literally it means "Blossoms fall and leaves scatter" but I don't feel like typing that out a million times.)

Hikarakuyou

Hikarakuyou

The flowers are slowly dying

Dying

I am that flower

Spring and summer fade away

Now I, also, fade, my love

Do you hear me calling?

Hikarakuyou

Hikarakuyou

Hikarakuyou

I weep

I weep the night away

But everyone fails to hear

This heart

Won't stop beating

This heart

Won't stop bleeding

Who is it that I'm crying for?

I don't remember anymore

This heart

Won't stop beating

This heart

Won't stop bleeding

So it seems…

My dreams

Keep tearing me apart"

2. Okay, on the last chapter, Master of Fanfics asked:

"Oh, and can you explain the thousand cranes thing, please?"

Here's my reply (skip if you already knew where this came from:

I got the idea from a true story called "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes". Sasaki Sadako was a toddler when the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War two, 1945. She, being as young as she was when the incident happened, didn't remember it, and it didn't seem to have any effect on her. However, when she was 12 years old, in 1955, she was diagnosed with leukemia. (As far as I can remember, the book said that this was somehow related to the bomb. Wikipedia doesn't say.) The doctors hospitalized her immediately (on Feb.21), and her family was told she had a year to live.

On August third, Sadako-san saw a "Get Well Gift" from the people of Nagoya donated to the hospital, which consisted of a thousand paper cranes.

An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury.

So, she too, became one of the many patients to fold Origami cranes. Whenever her family worried about her, she would simply tell them that she had a plan.

Sadako-san never actually finished her 1,000. Popular belief says she completed only 644, when she died on October 25, 1955. Her classmates folded the remaining cranes, to be buried with her.

Wikipedia says:

"After her death, her friends and schoolmates published a collection of letters to raise funds to build a memorial to her and all of the children who died from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. It was also a popular cause for children and others in Japan. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. At the foot of the statue is a plaque which reads, This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.

There is also a statue of her in the Seattle Peace Park. Sadako has become a leading symbol of the impact of a nuclear war. Sadako is a heroine for many young girls. Her story is taught in some Japanese schools on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing"

Apparently, children all over the world still send cranes to those statues, in hope of peace.

This story was really touching to me; it's always been one of my favorites. So, when I started writing the Kekkei Genkai Curse, I thought of Sadako, and the similarities between her position and Sakura's. When I decided to do a Christmas chapter, I thought it would be cool if her friends folded a thousand for her; it's kind of like their way of showing their support. Granted, if the legend were true, it probably wouldn't work the same, but it's really the thought that the ninja are willing to try anything for her that counts.

Also, Sadako and Sakura are both dying as victims of violence. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the WW2 bombings, but I'm sure you agree that in the case of the Haruno massacre, the violence was unnecessary. It makes that, after seeing what that same violence did to her friends, to her family, and her self, she might want peace just like the people who send those cranes do/did. Which is why, I'm trying to decide if maybe Sakura should start her own 1,000...

Anyway, I like the symbol of the crane. To the Japanese, and those of us who are Japan- obsessed, it symbolizes long life, beauty, compassion, peace, and good fortune.

Okay, overly long explanations over. The next chapter is "Kumo". Please, review!!!


	9. Kumo

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

A/N: Well, once again I don't have much to say. Thanks for all of your reviews and all the support.

Temari's eyes widened as she heard the words to the song her friend was singing.

"_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop beating _

_Kokoro wo soto_

_Won't stop bleeding_

_So it seems…_

_Watashi no yume_

_Keep tearing me apart_"

"_She's not handling this nearly as well as we thought… why hasn't she tried to talk to us?! We can help…." _

_------_

"That's almost like a lullaby, the way you sang it, kid," a voice said softly, "But I wouldn't go singing that to anyone; it's a very gothic lullaby."

Sakura spun around to see a girl a few years older than she was, wearing a baggy, thread-bare coat, and faded jeans. Both joy and sorrow glistened in her violet eyes.

For just a second, there was quiet, the only sound being the wind rustling through the stranger's dark hair. Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she managed to place those eyes, that voice.

"Kumo-neesan?!"

"Hey, Chitsuki-chan… or do you prefer Sakura-chan, now? Anyway, long time, no see."

"You're…you're back in Konoha!"

"Well of course, kid. What, did you think I'd just ignore your letter?"

Sakura thought back to the thin white envelope she had slipped in the mailbox just before her surgery, and gave a faint smile.

"Sorakono Kumo, don't you ever leave the village again!" Despite the fact that she was still smiling, tears gathered in the Haruno's eyes, threatening to spill over. Kumo sighed.

"It wasn't like I had a choice, Chitsuki-chan…Sakura-chan…which name do you want, Haruno?"

"Well, no one here except Ino knows about my nickname… so Sakura, I guess…"

Kumo sat down next to her, placing her backpack on the ground by her feet. She turned her head so she could see her childhood friend. Her hawk-like eyes examined the kunoichi closely. At the same time, Sakura was scrutinizing her, comparing the young woman's face to all of those memories from so long ago. The same high cheek-bones, same lean, thin stature, same worn-looking clothing. Her raven hair had been cut short, and a new scar had appeared, stretching across the back of her hand, but that was about it. Glistening beneath her gaze was still the same mischievous light.

Kumo, however, was completely surprised by how much the shy little girl she remembered had changed. She seemed stronger, yes, and tougher, yes, and more self confident, yes. But over all, what the visitor saw frightened her. So pale, and worn, and thin… she really shouldn't have been surprised. But the eyes, Sakura's soft emerald eyes…

The nineteen-almost-twenty year old recognized that look. She had seen it all her life: in her mother, her neighbors, her friends; if she were to look in the mirror, she was sure she would see it in herself, too. She recognized it, that troubled, world-weary gaze. Quite frankly, if it had been a stranger, Kumo wouldn't have cared. However, to see it here… it troubled her. She knew what had forced the medic to grow up, maybe even to give up, but, no matter how many times she had warned herself, she still wasn't prepared.

"It's been a long 10 years since you left, Kumo-neesan." Sakura explained quietly, as if she understood what her "older sister" was thinking.

"I know," Kumo replied quietly, "Trust me, oh, do I know. Sakura-chan, your letter…is what it said true? Are you really dying?"

Biting her lip, the younger girl nodded.

"I don't really want to talk about that."

The onyx-haired ex-citizen could see why.

"Kumo-neesan, why did you leave?"

Giving Sakura a hard look, Kumo replied, "What does it matter? I'm here now, and that's what counts, right?"

"I guess…I just want to know. When I was younger, right after you moved, I used to worry about how you were getting along. …And I guess I was a little hurt, too, that you never responded to my letters…."

"Look, 'Tsuki…"

"If you don't want to explain, you don't have too," the response was all too quick, "Sometimes, its better not to know the answers, right? I mean, even if they might make sense, logically, you wouldn't comprehend, right? Is it like that? Is it like when S-"

Sakura broke off, knowing she had said too much.

Kumo's eyes got angry. Her hand unconsciously went to her kunai pouch.

"Sakura, like what?! Did someone hurt you?! If they did, I, swear, I'll-"

Jade eyes kept staring at the dirt, as their owner gently placed a hand on Kumo's arm. She didn't look up when she spoke.

"Uchiha Sasuke, the missing nin, is my teammate," she clarified, refusing to use the word 'was' "He left team seven a long time ago. I understand his reasons, but I don't, you know? Anyway, it's nothing for you to worry about."

Sensing the hurt that poured off of the speaker like waves, Kumo responded cautiously, choosing her words carefully.

"Sakura…I can't give you the full story, 'Tsuki; I'm still…well, I'm not ready for that. Just like you have a hard time talking about your missing nin. But, well, my guardian decided it was best if I stayed away from the village for a while. Akimi-sensei was a great medic nin, a great teacher, and a great family member to me, but she didn't understand that I needed to be here, the village where I was born. After my parents died…" a pained look came across her face; she paused for a moment, and then continued, "well…there were special circumstances…and I guess they wanted to keep me sane, the third and Akimi-sensei, that is." She made a weak attempt at a joke, "They wouldn't listen to me when I told them it had been too late for that since my birth."

Sakura didn't smile or laugh. "They had one of their fights, didn't they?" She knew it was a personal question, most likely out-of-bounds, but she asked anyway.

Silence. A pause, no one moving or speaking. The, a slight brisk, nod, and a choked "I suppose you could say that…"

And then there was the quiet again, each girl hearing nothing but her own thoughts. The cold wind whistled, people laughed not too far away, loud machinery slowly warmed up like sleepy, lumbering giants waking from a winter nap. Still, nothing was louder than those few precious brainwaves. That is, nothing but…

"Sakura-chan!" the grin slid off of Naruto's face when he saw Kumo, who was sitting there, glaring at him, "Sakura-chan, who's this?"

"Naruto, remember that letter I was writing?"

Naruto nodded; how could he forget. He had been concerned when he found her, crying over a half-finished piece of writing. Who wouldn't be? But Sakura had simply said it was a letter to an old friend, and had refused to work on it anymore in front of him. He had simply had to be content with her answer; not that he was.

"This is who I was writing too. Meet Sorakono Kumo. Kumo-neesan, this is my teammate and boyfriend, Uzumaki Naruto."

Kumo gave another brisk nod. Naruto wondered what the heck Sakura was doing conversing with a female Sasuke. Walking over, he gently put his hand on Sakura's shoulder. Kumo flinched a bit, feeling overprotective as ever. Sakura was her little sister. Well, maybe not in blood, but it came to the same thing.

"It's time for your check up," he said; Kumo was taken aback by the tenderness in his voice, "Shizune's looking you over this time. Come on, I promised I'd walk you, didn't I?"

Moaning, Sakura stood up, and turned to Kumo.

"Maybe we could meet later?"

Another silent nod. Naruto shot Kumo a hostile glance. She returned it, and then said, "I'll find you later."

She watched as the blonde lead his girlfriend off. Nothing in his stance was similar to her father's, nothing at all. His tone was different, too. It had been a long time since Kumo had heard a voice laden with that kind of love. Her conscience was chastising her for being so suspicious, but her memories reminded her that people could be very good actors. Oh, yes, she knew that so very well.

As soon as the splotches of orange and red were out of sight, she stomped off to the office of a very surprised Tsunade, throwing the door open carelessly as she walked in. Thirty minutes later, she emerged and headed to her first shift at the hospital.

------------------------------------

A/N: Okay, well, that's over with. I meant to have something about New Years in here, but it just doesn't fit the mood. So just imagine New Years in your head, and it's over with okay? A quick poll:

Do you want Sasuke to show up in the later chapters? Accepted answers are:

1. Yes, I want him to come back and there be some hints of VERY MINOR sasusaku (one-sided or not; sorry I'm NOT changing the main pairing from NaruSaku, and that's final. If one-sided, from whose side? Maybe it should be Sasuke's turn to miss Sakura…)

2. Yes, I want him to come back, and I want there to be team seven friendship

3. No, keep Sasuke out of this fic! (I won't be offended if you choose this!)

Note: If I do bring Sasuke in, Itachi will be dead. From what I've heard, Sasuke's close to killing him in the shippuuden manga, anyways, so it won't be THAT out of the blue.

Once again, you can PM me or review, which ever.

Next time: Letters Vol. 2 (After I post "letters", all voting is over with, so vote quick!)


	10. Letters II

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

A/N: Okay, I know this took me a while to get up, but, I've been busy lately. The poll is closed; the results are in: No Sasuke… Sorry if your choice lost, but, hey, that's how it works. I'll put him in a different fic. A couple of things I have to say before we continue.

Winter-Rae  
2007-07-12  
ch 9, reply

Well a great chapter once again.  
Kumo seems interesting.  
As for the poll I would say 1 and maybe have him miss her. He can see just what he's missing out of after treating her so badly.  
In the end it's up to you and I know it will still be amazing.  
Keep up the wonderful work.  
Much love!  
Winter-Rae xoxo

Yeah, that was my thought, too. I think Kumo came on a little strong in the last chapter. Serves me right for being up late writing when I should be asleep…

Shify  
2007-07-13  
ch 9, anon.

I choose 2. Yes, I want him to come back, and I want there to be team seven friendship This story is so sad. They need some friendship time

I think that would be really, great. I'm thinking about doing a similar fic, with Sasuke in it, since he won't show up in this one. Although pulling anything with Sasuke off with out making him OOC (I hate that when it's in my own story!)

SakuNaruLover  
2007-07-13  
ch 9, reply

You could bring back Sasuke in the fic, but don't make sasusaku moments from Sakura's view. That would totally ruin the story. If you do something like that in a NaruSaku story, you're going to lose some readers. I would make them friends at the most.

Yeah, you're right. Sasusaku moments from Sakura's view would make her seem a little shallow, ne? I guess I really just wanted the SasuSaku one-sided from Sasuke's point of view, even though I know, realistically it wouldn't happen. To quote gare de lyon- ROAR "…Maybe I'm just too vengeful".

If you have questions about Sakura's condition, make sure to read the letter addresses to "Kazekage-sama".

Letters (vol. 2)

Kumo-neesan,

Hi, it's me, Haruno Sakura/ Chitsuki. It's been a while. I don't know if you remember me, but I figured, heck, this letter was worth a shot. When you're loosing it all slowly, you see things differently.

I tried a while back to write to you. Make that a long while back- a couple of years actually. But now, with everything that's happened, I just thought I might as well try one last time. If you don't remember me, or don't want to hear from me, put this letter down. But I'm hoping you keep reading, Kumo-neesan.

Do you remember how I got my nickname? When you first met me, you drove the bullies away; they wouldn't mess with you. For some reason, you wouldn't stop calling me Chitsuki. You said, and I quote, "Chitsuki- millennium moon."

I wanted to know why you called me that, and you just murmured something about "the eyes…same". I can't say I get it even now, but okay…

You told me once, that if anyone ever scared me or threatened me or if I was hurt in anyway, to let you'd know, that you'd fix it. I'm not sure if that still applies, but I'm going to write anyway. Once again, you can put this letter down.

Kumo-neesan, I'm scared to death, by myself. I'm not really hurting at the moment, but I go into surgery later today. It's not going to work. Tsunade-sama, the hokage/ medic sannin says it will, but I'm a medic nin, her apprentice, in fact. It's probably going to fail. It does hurt sometimes; Kumo-neesan, but you can't fix this. No one can.

Kumo, I'm dying. My clan was massacred earlier this year. I'm the only one living; and thanks to my Kekkei Genkai, that won't be for long. I enclosed a newspaper article with the details. I don't really want to talk anymore about it.

If you read this, and you remember me, do you think you could drop a line, or peek your head in Konoha? My address is on the envelope. I hope to see you in the next 7 or 8 months. That's about all I've got left.

- Haruno Sakura

-----

Temari:

How is she? How are you? How's Naruto taking this? No rambling.

-Gaara

-----

Gaara,

This is your big sister. Thanks for the favor. You letters are always like this, aren't they- short and to the point? Man, I wish life was like that. Naruto's handling this as well as can be expected. Sakura, however, is not. She's pretending Gaara, and it's getting to me. It's like she's trying to shield us, which I appreciate the thought, but honestly. We're her friends, and total strangers know more about how she's feeling than we do. It feels more like she's cutting us out! She was singing this song yesterday; she didn't know I was listening. Something about her heart won't stop beating/bleeding. Cheerful. I swear, if that girl wasn't sick….

Gaara…It feels weird saying this in a letter…you might not care…but I'm scared.

-Temari

-----

Hanabi-chan,

Please, little sister, could you, I mean, if it's no trouble, could you tell me how Sakura-chan- I suppose you would know her as Haruno-san- is doing? Father doesn't like me sending letters to my friends while I am on missions, or I would ask Temari-chan, or Tenten-chan, or Ino-chan. Please, keep me informed. Do me this one favor, please, Hanabi.

Your big sister, humbly asking,

-Hinata

-----

Hinata-neesan,

Don't get formal or sappy on me, got it? If you want something just shoot from now on, don't dawdle. It makes you sound soft.

I asked Tenten-san for you; she says that Godaime-sama says Sakura-san could be better. She actually has excess chakra cells. Don't ask me how that is; I don't speak medic mumble-jumble. That's why I'm not going to explain her treatment. I didn't get a word of it. She's training. She's not supposed to be. Her organs are weakening slowly, and she had a blood transfusion or something. Father had to tell Neji-niisan to spend more time at home and less with Tenten-san/ Tenten-san, Naruto-san, and Sakura-san/ Lee-san. Get the heck home fast so I don't have to do this for long.

-Hanabi

------

Kazekage-sama and the head of the Sunagakure medic corp.,

You requested specific details to Haruno Sakura's condition. She has agreed to give you the information.

To put it all very simply: All vital Chakra energy is carried by Chakra cells. It serves as the life force of the cell until it is called upon by the user, at which point the cell dies. The Kekkei Genkai has caused her chakra cells to be almost cancerous. The reproduce too quickly, and attack her vital organs, and muscles, the way white cells attack viruses, causing internal bleeding. She has given a temporary medication, but this will only keep her comfortable, and slow the progress of her condition. It also serves to space major attacks farther apart from one another. She is considerably well at the moment, but it most likely won't last long.

Many other remedies have been proposed. Chemo will not affect chakra cells, due to the nature of their composition. It would only injure her body even more. The Sorakono chakra treatment and similar operations have been turned down due to factors Haruno-san wishes to remain private.

If our allies in Suna could give any aid, on the behalf of Lady Tsunade, the Godaime of Konohagakure no Sato, it would be well appreciated.

Yamano Akina, M.D./ Member of the Godaime's Council

(Writing on the behalf of the Hokage)

A/N: Yeah, well, that's it. Short but necessary. Just a warning: you probably won't see much of me for a while. Tomorrow is my little brother's b-day, and the day after, the 7th Harry Potter book comes out. I'd probably have it finished in a day and a half, like I did with number six, but I only get it during the day. Mom gets it at night. (My parents will only buy one copy :( which is not fun!) I don't to spend my free time doing anything but reading until I finish that D book, and figure out who dies. It better not be Harry! (Although, even as I say this, I know it probably will be…) The next chapter is called "Paper Hearts and Forget-Me-Nots." Any valentine ideas that go with the NejiTen pairing would be appreciated. KibaHina's going fine, but NejiTen… that's kinda hard for me to write…


	11. Waves

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

**A/N: Okay, you guys there are a couple of things I wanted to clear up. **

**Vld asked if the flowers were Sakura's way of breaking up with Naruto. No, they were not. End of story. **

**This is not the chapter "The Last Birthday Party". I looked over my outline (which, yes, it is finished) and decided that for everything to work out the way it should, I needed to add a little extra. "The Last Birthday Party" will be the chapter after next. **

**As I just mentioned, I do have an outline. Please, stop asking "Are you going to kill her". I know the answer, but I'm not going to tell you. Don't get me wrong, I love the reviews! And "I hopes" are fine. Please, just, don't get too pushy. For those of you on (I LOVE THAT SITE!!!) a.k.a. DasDeke, Gnosis Master, and Deidara Lover and Ciardha if you're reading this, I really appreciate your posts. However, that forum is kind of outdated, from chapter 4 in fact. I know what I'm going to do. If anyone from that site spills any of the details of the contents of that forum to the other readers and spoils it… well, remember the "smashy" icon? The one where one "smiley face" hits the other over the head with the hammer? Anyway, please don't tell me to kill her or not. I have a plan. You'll just have to wait to see the result.**

**If I, in this author note, some how offended ANYONE, I am sorry. P.M. me and I'll apologize again. I'm just kinda in a bad mood. Fanfiction, however, is my antidote:) **

**On that forum, DasDeke said, "**It's your story however, and your vision. Don't let anyone compromise that.**" I'd just like to say thanks. And to everyone else who gave that particular bit of advice as well. **

**Recently, I've been writing one chapter per one month of time in the fic. However, the next two chapters will still take place in February, after Valentines. **

**And on with the chapter!!!!**

**Ch.12-------------**

**Waves**

Naruto buried his head farther into his pillow, not wanting to wake up from this pleasant dream. "Sakura" he murmured, grinning. Thoughts of his pink-haired Kunoichi, ramen, and the hokage's robes circled through his mind, interrupted only by the persistent knocking on the front door. He groaned again, pulling the blanket over his head, trying to drown the noise out, and return to the perfect dream-world he had been wandering through. Opening his eyes ever so slightly, he shot a look at the clock with a feeble moan.

Yawning, the blonde sat up, sleepily grabbed his robe, and headed towards the front hall.

Opening the door, he blinked once or twice. Sakura smiled warmly at him.

"Sheesh, Naruto, you've been hanging around Shikamaru too much," she laughed, rubbing her hands together, "I must have been out here for fifteen minutes, at least!"

Instantly he was awake.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed pulling her inside before she had a chance to respond. He turned a little red as he realized he was wearing only a pair of shorts and his half-on/ half-off robe. She giggled slightly. Pushing him gently on the chest, she said, "Go get changed. You're taking me to the beach."

He kept watching her as she turned, placing two small brown bags on his coffee table. At first all he really thought about is what that shove would have been like before. (It probably would have sent him through the wall.) Now it's just soft, not much force behind it. Sure, if she was a normal person, it wouldn't have been that unusual, but she was Tsunade's apprentice, and he could see the strained look in her eyes as she gave that tiny motion. Then, her words made their way up to his brain.

"The b-beach?!" he stammered, "B-but, Sakura-chan, it's February. It's way to cold to go swimming!"

"Well, who said anything about swimming?" she asked calmly, "I just want to go walk by the shore, maybe sit down in the sand for a while."

He was about to ask why it couldn't wait until later. Maybe sometime in July, when the weather was warm, and every one could come, and it wasn't eight o'clock in the morning. After all, the ocean was an hour and a half to two hour bus ride. Then he remembered: there probably would be no July, not for Sakura. Fine, he decided. If she wanted the beach, she was going to get the beach.

"Okay," he said, a bit too quietly, "let me go change."

-----------

Sakura finished spreading the two solitary beach towels over the white-grey sand. Watching, amused, as Naruto chased away a few angry birds from their cooler, she laughed. Looking over his shoulder to see the pleasure in her face, Naruto kept at it, glad to do anything that might make her happy.

"Naruto-baka," she called jokingly, "I'd abandon the cooler if I were you! Those birds seem mighty fierce!"

Throwing his hands up in mock defeat, he ran to her side, the said container only a few feet away. Sitting down next to her, he grinned. So, what'd you wanna talk about?"

"You get to start the conversation for a change, Naruto. It will be good practice for all those speeches you'll have to make as Rokudaime!" The Haruno stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

He returned the gesture, good naturedly, and proceeded to talk.

"So, tell me about Kumo-san," he started, and she looked up a little shocked.

"What do you mean?"

"Just tell me something about her. I've never seen her around before, and I don't know anything about her. Does she even live in Konoha?"

"She used too…"

"That's a start. If she's your friend Sakura-chan, I wanna be hers too, but I don't _get_ her."

"I'm sorry?"

"Well it's just that she seems a lot like s-"he paused. Even now, the name was hard to say. "Like Sasuke."

Instantly, Sakura's eyes grew livid. He features darkened, and Naruto cowered, knowing he had said something wrong.

"Kumo-neechan is nothing like Sasuke. We were best friends when we were little, before I met Ino-chan. She took care of me and looked after me, even though I was three years younger. She used to fight off the bullies who picked on me- literally. She left because her parents-" Sakura stopped. She had gone too far.

"Her parents what?"

"They died. And… well I've only got suspicions, but… but I think her father might have hurt her mother beforehand….or maybe even killed her…they …they never got along well. Maybe that's why Kumo and I got along so well. Neither one of us liked our fathers very much. My father, at least, was decent to my mother after they 'fell out of love'. Hers wasn't. She saw a lot of things she shouldn't have- things she helped shield me from."

Naruto surveyed Sakura intensely, as his brain tried to piece the two images together.

"I see…" he said finally.

"Let's talk about something else."

--------

After returning from his 25 laps up and down the shore-

("Why am I doing this?"

"It'll be good for you! Sand's hard to walk on, much less run on. You'll get a good work out."

"But-"

Come, on, chicken, I dare you!")

Naruto made his way back to Sakura.

"Sakura-chan," he called, "can we eat those sandwiches now? Sakura-chan?" He spotted her form lying motionless on the red beach towel, and started to panic.

"Sakura-chan, are you okay?!" He started running faster, even though his legs were screaming at him. Rushing to her he bent over, expecting to see blood trickling down from her mouth. But there was none. Her pulse was steady and her breathing easy and equal. The truth donned on him- she was simply asleep. He cast his discarded jacket over her shivering form, smiling inwardly at the sight. She always looked cute to him, but asleep she was something else. Sitting down on her towel, he placed her head in his lap, carefully, so as not to disturb her. Stroking the soft, cherry-blossom colored locks, he pulled he as close as he dared. He didn't want to wake her, not when he knew how hard it was for her to find rest these days.

"**Admit it, kit, she's dying."**

"Shut up, fox, I didn't ask you. Sakura-chan will be…"

"**I know, I know, you insist she'll be 'fine'. You certainly don't sound that way when she's not near."**

Sakura stirred slightly, as if she could sense the argument over her, and then settled back down, her head now on Naruto's chest.

"**Listen to me kit. Put your hand on her."**

"What?!"

"**Just do as I say!"**

Nervously, Naruto did as he was instructed. He hissed as a slight burning sensation rippled through his fingers. Red-orange chakra began crawling from his fingertips, hovering over the kunoichi's lean frame for just a moment before disappearing.

"Fox, no, you'll hurt both of us. This burns!"

"**Do you want to save her, or not?"**

Softly her jade eyes opened, blinking.

"Naruto…" she struggled to sit up, "what's this feeling?"

**A/N: I love writing cliff hangers! (Well when I'm the one writing them anyway.) Go ahead, sue me. I think I had 75 cents hanging around somewhere. Okay a few requests:**

**Please if you're a narusaku fan, check out **** I love that site to death. And please, could you read and review on Subliminal by ****WeLcOmE2pArAdIsE? I've been waiting for her to update for forever and an age. Maybe if other people review, she'll update. Sorry for the short chapter. Gotta run. Next chapter: A Single Moment of Perfection.**


	12. A Moment of Perfection

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

**A/N: Eek! I just now read the version of chapter 12 that everyone else sees on the site. I realized every time I tried to type in the name of a website, Fanfiction thought it was a link and didn't copy it. So for those of you who aren't on the site, what I was trying to say is I love www.NaruSaku(dot)com to death! A bunch of people asked what Kyuubi's reasons for saving Sakura were. You'll find out why he did what he did, although things might be different than you thought. Oh and sorry, but she's not going to be a demon. Or a half demon. And no, he did not seal Kyuubi inside of her- that would actually kill Naruto, and you can be sure I'm not killing him off. If my fluff is horrible, please don't kill me. I love to read fluff, but I'm an angst writer by birth. Fluff is a bit out of genre for me. Well I supose some people might not agree that this is fluff, but still you get the point. **

**-------------- A Moment of Perfection**

_A moment of perfection is flocked by failure on either side. In that moment, though, there is only the right and the now. For just an instant we are free from what is coming next. _

-

-

-

"**Listen to me kit. Put your hand on her."**

"What?!"

"**Just do as I say!"**

Nervously, Naruto did as he was instructed. He hissed as a slight burning sensation rippled through his fingers. Red-orange chakra began crawling from his fingertips, hovering over the kunoichi's lean frame for just a moment before disappearing.

"Fox, no, you'll hurt both of us. This burns!"

"**Do you want to save her, or not?"**

Softly her jade eyes opened, blinking.

"Naruto…" she struggled to sit up, "what's this feeling?"

She grasped on to his shoulder, pulling herself up. She didn't see his eyes fade from a deep red into their normal crystal blue. He didn't know if it was only detectable to him, but she also didn't seem to notice the chakra floating around her, encompassing her body, or the color that came pouring back to her face and skin or even the slowly fading sores.

"Naruto…. I shouldn't have this much chakra…." She looked at her hands, and then gently removed herself from his lap as she spoke "It feels strange. Good, but strange."

"Eh?" Naruto cocked his head to the side, ignoring the fox's sudden silence, "But… that's the whole problem, isn't it? You have too much chakra, right?"

"Too many _cells_," she corrected him, "and most of them are warped or malformed. All they do is attack my system; I can't actually use them for energy."

She stood up. "I wonder… I haven't been able to lately, but, maybe…"

Glimmering green chakra came from her fingertips, but the color quickly changed to a warm orange-red color. slowly, her eyes turned to Naruto. He could see her question, clear as day. He was a bit afraid to answer, but decided he had to.

"I..."

_"Damn, fox, what did you do?"_

**_"I let her my chakra. You were getting annoying. It should heal her."_**

"I..I" stuttered Naruto, "..the fox...he healed you...he gave you his chakra."

--------

(back at Konoha)

The man who owned the clerk behind the counter of the icecream parlor watched as the coupled walked through the glass doors that led to the patio. The pink haired girl he recognized. Half the boys in the village had fawned after her before she had gotten ill, his own son included. Why she had chosen the blonde (who he knew as the fox boy), he would never know. Even more of a mystery to him was why they would want icecream on the patio on such a cold day. But why should he care? They were buisness, and thats al he really needed to know. Although something DID seem different about Haruno...

-------

Sakura sat down, a cone of stawberry sherbert in her hand. She still wore the same stunned, pensive look. Naruto was feeling nervous, as he gently tucked her chair in and sat down himself. Watching as she slowly tried some of the frozen treat, he slowly grew even more woried. Sakura had never held the fact that he was the Kyuubi container, against him, but how would she feel about_ any _part of it residing in her, even if it was only chakra? what if someone found out about it, and persecuted her the same way they always had him? He wasn't sure he could handle that...much less her.

"Naruto," her voice was soft and expressionless; her face gave away no emotion, "Thank You."

And all of a sudden, there was that bright, delighted smile, beaming from her face. It was the same one that had drawn him to her in the first place.

"Hurry and eat, baka" she laughed, "I want to go home. And you're coming with me! Well, I guess I really don't have room to call you 'Baka' right now, do I?"

And a grin spread over his face, too.

--------

Shoving away her empty bowl of insant ramen, sakura stood up, turning around to open a window. she didn't care if it was Febuary, the fresh air was nice. Besides, winter was warmer in Konoha than almost anywhere else. She turned back around to face Naruto, who also stood up. Without warning, she took a step foreward, and through her arms around him.

"Naruto," she whispered into his chest, "thank you, so, so, much. I'll never be able to stop thanking you."

Gently, he took her chin in his hand, tilting her gaze upwards. Maybe Neji was right, and there was such a thing as fate, because Naruto knew such a sight couldn't have been planned out by mere coincedence. She had decided to dress all in white, pale tan, and silver that day. Her white sweater was low cut, the collar starting a little under her collar bone, and leaving part of her shoulders bare. The angel glistened from around her neck, and the good luck charm fell to her thighs, dangiling from her belt loop. Silvery-gold sunlight poured in from the window, bathing her in radience. Gently he put a hand up to stroke her hair, which was blowing ever so slightly in the breeze. It was a single moment of perfection, one that he knew he would never forget.

"Don't cry," he said softly, seeing the unshed happy tears in her eyes.

The moment was broken, as she shoved him away, lightly. Though, "light" for Sakura meant he almost hit the wall.

"Sumimasen! I'd almost forgotten how good it felt to be able to do that!" she stuck her tongue out at him again (it was something she seemed to like doing), and then grew more serious, "Naruto, don't tell any of the others yet. I really want this to be that good dream that comes at the end of the nightmare, but...I really feel like we shouldn't tell anyone yet."

He nodded again, less happy. That is, until she took his hand. Leaving the dirty dishes and open window forgotten, she grabbed her coat. Naruto let her pull him out the door and down the street to the park. Letting go of him, she ran to the same swing she always sat in, at the far right sight of the park. As the Uzumaki went to push her, she smiled at him, "I don't think I was ever been this spontaneous before we started dating. You've been rubbing off on me, ne? Aa, shoganai." (Ah, there's nothing that can be done/oh well)

"Yeah," he teased, "You always planned _everything _out, before, and everything would have to go perfectly in order for you to be happy. So _troublesome._""

"Shut up!" The Haruno girl didn't sound angry at all. She started giggiling like a little kid as he pushed her higher and higher.

"Eh, you've rubbed off on me, too, Sakura-chan. I've learned to watch my mouth around you."

The laughter wouldn't seem to go away, and Sakura didn't really want it to, either.

"But, also, you tought me to think before I act. You tought me appreciation for well... alot of things I wouldn't have noticed otherwise...and you've kept me human. _You _saved _me_ first."

Sakura blushed, and silence prevailed. Slowly, the swing stopped, Naruto catching it. Kumo, who had seen the whole thing, smiled. Maybe those memories of hers were wrong after all. She came out from her hiding place in the top of a tree, not failing to notice how red the couple got.

"If I could steal her away from you for a little while, Naruto-san. Maybe we can work out some kind of schedule. do you want to pick her up at five?" Kumo joked, trying to relieve the tension.

"Make it eight," he grinned, "pick you up at your apartment, Sakura-chan."

His girlfriend waved until he was out of sight, and then turned to the violet eyed medic.

"How long you been of duty?" she asked, noticing that Kumo had yet to change out of her uniform.

"Only about a half hour, 'Tsuki-chan. Come on, are you feeling up to a little basket ball? It will warm us both up."

"Yeah!"

Within a few minutes, they had secured a ball, and were dribiing up and down the court.

"Three points!" cheered Kumo, as the ball sunk through the hoop with a swishing sound.

"No fair!" her friend pouted, "You're taller!"

"Which is my fault...how?"

Sakura started to laugh, and then stopped. Clutching her stomach, she started to bend over.

"Chitsuki-chan?! Sakura?!"

**A/N: Just so you know , part two of that little saying is in the next chapter, "The Last Birthday Party". Combined with the first part, it sets a completely different mood. I'm sorry if there are lots of typos and/or grammar and spelling issues. I am once again working on a computer without microsoft word, and I can't download open office. **

**Just so you know, this chapter was probably the hardest for me to write. I had to set mood music and read fluff and everything. I probablly wouldn't have pulled it of had I not listened to "Hikari" by Utada Hikaru (Japanese version of "Simple and Clean") and "Passion" by the same (Japanese version of "Sanctuary") a hundred times each via youtube while writing. Both songs are favorites of mine. I really suggest listening to one of them or a similar song while reading. Oops, should have put that the begining, I guess. Never mind. **

**Review button: CLICK ME! **


	13. Moon Behind the Clouds

**A/N: eh, Sumimasen, sumimasen! I apologize for not updating sooner. I've been busy working on other sites, like quizilla and narusaku. I'm trying to get as much done as I can before 8-27 (when school starts up again.) So, once again, sumimasen and with out any further ado, here's the chapter. W A R N I NG: there will be some very mild bad language in this chapter. It probably won't bother most of you, but as I normally don't put anything like that, even "Damn" in my stories (though I've done it once or twice already in this story) so I felt more comfortable with a warning. It probably wouldnt be here, except, I can't imagine Kumo phrasing thingss very differently. It's just her personality.**

Sakura blushed, and silence prevailed. Slowly, the swing stopped, Naruto catching it. Kumo, who had seen the whole thing, smiled. Maybe those memories of hers were wrong after all. She came out from her hiding place in the top of a tree, not failing to notice how red the couple got.

"If I could steal her away from you for a little while, Naruto-san. Maybe we can work out some kind of schedule. Do you want to pick her up at five?" Kumo joked, trying to relieve the tension.

"Make it eight," he grinned, "pick you up at your apartment, Sakura-chan."

His girlfriend waved until he was out of sight, and then turned to the violet eyed medic.

"How long you been off duty?" she asked, noticing that Kumo had yet to change out of her uniform.

"Only about a half hour, 'Tsuki-chan. Come on, are you feeling up to a little basket ball? It will warm us both up."

"Yeah!"

Within a few minutes, they had secured a ball, and were dribbling up and down the court.

"Three points!" cheered Kumo, as the ball sunk through the hoop with a swishing sound.

"No fair!" her friend pouted, "You're taller!"

"Which is my fault...how?"

Sakura started to laugh, and then stopped. Clutching her stomach, she started to bend over.

"Chitsuki-chan?! Sakura?!"

Sakura struggled to get her breathing under control.

_"What? This shouldn't be happening!"_

Even as she thought the words, her pulse started getting quicker, and a burning sensation rippled through her limbs. Kumo went to brace her, only to be burned by fiery orange chakra...

-------

Tsunade looked at her peacefully sleeping student, and a very nervous-looking Kumo. Then she turned her gaze back to Naruto, who was still in shock.

"So you're telling me you attempted to use Kyuubi's chakra to heal her?"

Naruto nodded again, his face pale, as he rested his hand on the wall, staring at the girl who had seemed perfectly healthy earlier.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER! YOU PROBABLY JUST SHORTENED WHAT LITTLE TIME SHE HAS LEFT! KYUUBI'S CHAKRA_ DOESN'T _HEAL ANYONE EXCEPT _YOU!_"

"Shhh!"

Kumo glared at her superior as Sakura stirred a little, and then settled down again.

"Naruto, get out." Tsunade's voice was still angry, but it was softer. "Kumo, make sure the drug keeps her asleep so we can do what we need to do. I'll go get a Hyuuga."

"But..." Naruto protested.

"Get out!"

The blonde stumbled out into the hallway.

"You said it would heal her, fox!"

"_And since when did you trust a kitsune, boy? A demon, no less? Although, I admit I expected the chakra's outwardly positive affect to last sometime, before any discoveries were made. Actually, I was hoping she'd be dead by that time. They'd have marked it off as an after effect of the disease."_

Naruto had NEVER felt so much hatred before.

------

Kumo nervously wrung her hands together, which wasn't something she normally did. It was too feminine an action for her taste.

"Damn, Chitsuki," she swore, looking at the still unconscious Haruno, "You always could get to me."

Her mind wandered back to their first meeting.

_Sorakono Kumo stopped, and looked emotionlessly to where a small pink-haired girl was being bullied by the little brothers of the local thug. At first, she didn't bother to do anything. The kid was pretty obviously from the good part of town. She had a clan symbol on the back of her little red sundress and everything. The bullying was her own fault. The kid had wandered from her own side of the city, straight onto the Kitayama boy's turf. _

_They wouldn't do anything too bad, probably just rough her up a little, and maybe take those fancy, strappy sandals of hers. They wouldn't do much more than that; they wouldn't want any grief from "The Upperside" and the seedy part of the city had dubbed its counter part. 'Sides the girl was only six. The boys were only seven or eight themselves, so nothing... inappropriate was gonna happen._

_"Why should I care if she gets a few bruises?" Kumo thought, turning her back, and starting to look away "We all have our problems, me included. If she learns not to come down to our part of town now, when she's young, everyone will profit."_

_What she wasn't prepared for, though, was the little girl seeing her. The kid's eyes got all wide, and her face sort of lit up. _

_"Neechan!" she called to Kumo, "Neechan, please help me! I didn't wanna di- dis- disturb anyone I swear! I'm lost"_

_Kumo_ _turned around, ever so slightly, and looked at the girls face. Slowly, she moved closer, so that she could look the pipsqueak in the eye. The little mouse flinched. The Kitayama twins grinned evilly, knowing how Kumo tended to get when she gave people that look. _

_Gingerly, the child reached out her hand for Kumo to help her up. The boys were expecting the sound of a slap. They were surprised, though. Kumo looked into the girl's eyes for a minute, and then helped her up. _

_"K-Kumo!" The taller twin protested, "What are you doing?!" _

_"You do realize I'm almost three years older than both of you, right?" _

_"Y-yes." _

_"And you remember what I did to Yoru last week?" _

_"Y-yeah" _

_"The girl said she was lost. And that's where you better be going. Got it?" _

_The boys ran. _

_Kumo looked at the tiny creature who she had rescued. _

_"Same goes for you, squirt. Go home. Shoo." _

_"But…but I'm lost." _

_Kumo sighed. _

_"Come on then. I'd better take you home." _

_"I knew it," the child said quietly as they walked down the side of the road. _

_"Knew what?" _

_"Y-you act… well you act scary, but you're actually good." _

_Kumo tried not to look as taken aback as she felt. "And how do you know that? For all you know, I'm leading you to the forest for monsters to eat you, so I can make your bones into jewelry!" _

_To her surprise, the 6 year old laughed. _

_"You're not!" she grinned, "I can tell from your eyes! You see, mommy says eyes are like windows to a person's…what's it called again? The invisible thing inside our bodies?" _

_"A soul?" _

_"Yeah, that thing. And yours must be good, 'cause your eyes are kind, when you look real hard. Besides, there are no such things as monsters. Your eyes are pretty. I wish mine were purple-ly-blue, too, but there just plain green." _

_"Hey don't pout. At least you've got both eyes, ne? What's your name anyway?" _

_"Haruno Sakura." _

_"Sakura's a pretty common name. I guess it's pretty enough. But I'm not gonna call you a name every one else has got. We gotta come up with a nickname for you. How about…Chitsuki?" _

_"What does it mean?" _

_"Chitsuki is written with the kanji for "Millennium Moon." _

_"Why do I get such a pretty name? I'm not very pretty. Everyone says my fore-head's too big, and my eyes are too common." _

_"Well they're just talking shi- I mean, they're lying. You're Chitsuki-chan from now on, okay?" _

_"Chitsuki-_**chan**_? Does that mean we're friends? I don't have any friends…" _

_"Yeah," Kumo grinned, stopping outside what she knew was the Haruno household, "I guess it does." _

_"But there's a problem!" _

_"And what would that be?" _

_"I don't know your name." _

_"My name's Kumo. Hey, see you tomorrow Chitsuki-chan. I'll meet you here, okay?" _

Back in the present, Kumo smiled. Little Chitsuki had kept her almost-nine-years-old self out of a lot of trouble. They had always spent hours at the park together, and it had been the same girl who convinced her that 8 about to be 9 wasn't too old to play pretend. To every one else Sakura was the shy girl, who never talked, but who you didn't pick on unless you wanted a knuckle sandwich. However, around her new friend, Sakura had lots of questions.

_"Kumo-neechan? Why'd you nickname me Chitsuki? Why that name?" Sakura asked one day while they were sitting on the Haruno's front porch._

_"Don't you know, Chitsuki-chan? Your namesake is a… a… a moon princess, like Kaguya-hime. Yeah, in fact, she's Kaguya-hime's little sister. And her story is a lot like her neechan's, you know? Except, she didn't have to go live with some dumb bamboo guy, she grew up to be a beautiful healer and nobody ever tried to marry her off to people she didn't like, cause everyone in the town wanted her to stay, that's how wonderful she was. Anyway, Chitsuki-hime was real pretty. She had black hair and," Kumo caught Sakura's gaze, "and green eyes. Kaguya had violet –that's purple-ly-blue- eyes, but Chitsuki's were green. And she was really beautiful, and smart, but sweet and innocent, too. Everyone loved her. And she had this friend. Her name was…her name was Kai, one of the other words for 'Umi' (sea). And part of the reason they got along so well was cause their names were 'Moon' and 'sea'. Iruka-sensei says the moon makes the tide, right? But Kai didn't have a family, and Chitsuki's family were all bit- she didn't like her earth family very much, so they were together all the time. And one day, Kaguya comes back, right after she left the bamboo guy, and says, "Hey sis, We gotta go." And cause they were such good friends, and no one really cared if Kai left, Kaguya took them both up to the moon kingdom. And Kai and Chitsuki were princesses and made sure there was never another civil war on the moon again . Kai was a warrioress, and Chitsuki was a healer, and Kaguya was a queen, but everyone loved Kai and Chitsuki best. You remind me of Chitsuki, so you get her name."_

_Sakura smiled happily. Just then Sagami Haruno popped her head out the door. She didn't look happy at all. _

_"Kumo, I'd think you'd better go," she commanded, her tone low and angry, "Sakura come inside."_

_Waving sadly, Sakura walked inside. _

_"The truth is, Sakura-chan," Kumo whispered, once she was sure her friend couldn't hear her, "I lied. You don't remind me of the princess, cause she wasn't really like that. You're what she should have been."_

Kumo smiled again, this time a little more sadly.

"Looks like when Kaguya comes, Kai and Chitsuki will be seperatedafter all, kid," She whispered to her sleeping friend. Slowly, jade colored eyes opened and blinked at her.

"Chitsuki...and...Kai? What? Were you...talking about the old story you used to tell me?" the words came out slowly.

"Yeah," Kumo lied, "Just telling it to myself to pass the time. Damn, Chitsuki you have to stop scaring me like this!"

"I know...I'm sorry"

Kumo was about to reply, but for a small knock on the door. Ino walked in, with a fake smile on her face.

"Hey fore-head girl," she said in false cheerful voice, her worry showing in her eyes "Just heard you were back in this dump, and thought I'd stop by."

The blonde kept up the "Grin" (which, to Kumo,was looking more and more like a grimace every second) as she pulled up a chair. Never one to waste time on small talk, she instantly jumped to the point. "It's 29 days until your birthday, right? Why, I bet you, before you can even turn another year older, you'll be cured. That would make for a perfect birthday, ne? No worries at all!"

The Yamanaka wasn't at all prepared for what came next. Sakura suddenly burst into tears, and Ino had the feeling she was missing something.Kumo glared at the blonde, her icy attitue returning.

"Leave."

The command was quiet, but forceful.

"You heard me. Go. I need to calm her down, and she's not supposed to have visitors. Come back some other time."

The heart monitor started to race, and Sakura started maning loudly, as orange colored chakra fbegan to flow around her, burning her skin. Her breaths came in small short gasps, but she couldn't stop crying. And if that was the external, Kumo was very worried about what was actually going on inside.

"Damn," she swore, as she shoved Ino (who was protesting that she as well was a medic,and therefore needed to stay) out the door and hit the nurse call button, "Tsunade told me not to let her get upset. This must be why- her hormones and chakra systems don't know how to react to or make use of the Kyuubi's chakra. I'll need to sedate her before I do anything more." A few more 'colorful' words slipped out, as Sakura writhed in agony.

Kumo hoped that her single day of 'health' had been worth it, because things woud only get worse from here on out.

---------

_A moment of perfection is flocked by failure on either side. In that moment, though, there is only the right and the now. For just an instant we are free from what is coming next. However, we never know the price beforehand. No, it's something that waits to reveal itself until the very end. And to often, it's only when we get the bill that we realize we can't possibly pay the price. Because sometimes it's our families and friends, our happiness, or our health. Because, sometimes, the price is our very lives. And death is a stern debator._

--------

**A/N: Hits Kyuubi over the head with a mallet Yeah, I know it's sad when I can make a character do something and then hate them as much as my readers. My excuse is that I didn't actually image up the Kyuubi. I'm just making use of him. Anywho, I think I finally got the soft side of Kumo expressed, thank goodness. Be forewarned: the whole Kai, Kaguya, and Chitsuki thing WILL be a major driving force for the story in my later chapters, so if you didn't read the note with the original legend in it back in "Flowers, Cranes, and Candles" I suggest you do so now.**

**Oh, and for the record, I know I , once again, postponed "The Last Birthday Party." I'm sorry. It'll come out next time for sure, as there is nothing else in the plot line that I have to finish. (I had actually planned for this to be the very begining of "The Last Bithday Party" but it wanted to be its own chapter. I don't argue with my stories, as long as they come out sounding okay. And yes, I am crazy. XD) Yeah, Kyuubi did just nearly kill her, so feel free to yell at him...just not me! **

**About the title: Kumo's name (for those of you who, sadly, do not know) means "Cloud" and as "Chitsuki" means "Millenium Moon" I thought it was appropriate. For those of you who would correct me on any spelling/grammar issues, I just have this to say: I am doing almost all my writing on a computer with out microsoft word, and I can't download open office or a similar program, so your lucky to get what you do. Actually, your lucky I'm writing at all- I HATE word pad! **

**Anko holds a kunai at your thoat, an angry look on her face, until you click the review button. Tsunade cracks her knuckles**


	14. The Last Birthday Party

The Kekkei Genkai Curse 

A/n: Nothing to say. I don't own Naruto.

_"Death, the one appointment we all must keep, and for which no time is set" _

_Charlie Chan _

Sakura sat silently in her chair, an afghan wrapped around her shoulders. Her face was pale and thin, as was the rest of her. Her eyes no longer held the light that they used to. Now the only emotions lurking in the dulled green were weariness, anger, and guilt. She watched her friends as they bustled around her, preparing for a "birthday party" with energy she no longer had. She was so tired. All she wanted was to sleep...

Naruto kept shooting her guilty looks, and even Anko was careful not to disturb her. The whole room was hushed and quiet, the way Sakura and the other medics always were at a patient's deathbed. Even the noise of the street outside seemed muted and distant, which, for some reason, bugged her to no end. But she was too tired to argue. Even if she was tired, she didn't want THIS. All in all, today was not one of her better days.

"Ten-chan," she heard Ino whisper in a voice meant to be subtle, "She probably won't want any loud music. She's really frail right now, Tsunade-sama said!"

At the same time, Kiba was lecturing Lee on behalf of Hinata.

"Lee, what were you thinking buying her those tickets? If she catches infection, it will be fatal! And she has no energy right now. It's best for her to stay home, not go off to some wild and crazy rock concert! You know that!"

Kakashi was perched protectively on the couch, watching her from the corner of his eye. Anytime someone approached her to ask, for instance, where she wanted one of the red and gold paper lanterns hung, he would shoo them away.

"The mantle," she commanded to Shikamaru and Temari who were arguing over that exact question. Her voice came out as a croak. Instantly the whole room quieted.

"The mantle. Hang it over the mantle." She explained again.

Temari nodded, a bit shocked, and did as she was told.

Gradually, the same hushed tones filled the room. Sakura tried to stand up to help Hinata with a particularly stubborn window, but Kakashi pushed her back down, and Neji helped his cousin instead. Kumo's violet eyes danced with unreadable emotion, as she hovered at her friend's shoulder.

"I think she'd like it if…"

"Maybe she'd like it better over here…"

They didn't look as if they thought it necessary to actually ask her.

"Is there anyway we can make her more comfortable?"

"You guys?" Sakura asked softly. Nobody seemed to hear her.

"You know she hates that dish Chouji! Get rid of it!"

"Be more careful, Lee! She's really delicate right now, and we don't need you to upsetting her by breaking some kind of heirloom!"

"Shino did you consider the fact that maybe she doesn't want bugs in the _kitchen_? Just a thought!"

"You guys?" Her voice was a little louder now, the trembling gone from its tone.

Still, she went unheard, having caught only Kakashi and Kumo's attention. The bickering grew louder and louder. She called out again, only to be ignored again. Tsunade and Shizune walked in the front door, adding to the chaos. Shouting and yelling surrounded her, filling her mind and ears, surrounding her, pressing in close and suffocating her. Phantom cries from long ago echoed in with the present day, and she could swear she smelt the stench of burning wood and flesh. So many voices, all crying out, mingling together in a song that burned her very soul, with no end in sight.

Tashari's eyes

Sagami's voice

Botan's body cut and slashed, and died crimson, lying sprawled across Kansai

So many voices calling out, shouting, and screaming-

And then she realized that her own was pouring from her.

"Stop it!!!" she yelled, jumping to her feet, throwing her hands over her ears, and tremblingly, fell backwards.

Shocked silence swept its gossamer touch over the ninja, and Kumo and Naruto caught the girl as she fell. Her face was tearstained; her eyes scared and angry.

"Stop it," she spoke so softly that they had to lean in to hear her, "Stop it, please. I'm dying. My clans' dead. End of story. Stop treating me like a porcelain doll. I know you're trying to take care of me, but I don't want to be protected…Not when I failed…I failed to protect all of them… Please…Please…"

Her voice was wracked with sobs. It was worse than a slap in the face.

"Please…stop yelling…"

And then she turned and fled to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. If this birthday party was going to be the last, then what was the point in celebrating at all? Especially when they died and she had been given so much extra, painful time, which far more than she deserved.

-----------

Well, I looked at it and realized that Sakura could probably be considered a trauma survivor. All the yelling could very easily trigger her memories of the massacre. And she hasn't really had the time to heal yet, facing her own death and all. It's also understandable (though not reasonable) that she would have survivor's guilt. I mean for the Harunos to be considered a clan, they'd have to be pretty large, and she was the only one who made it out. She knows she's made some pretty huge mistakes in the past. She's probably feel like she didn't deserve what little time she has left.

Next Chapter: Strength


	15. Paper Hearts

The Kekkei Genkai Curse

By Shiroihato

A/N: Thanks to all my great reviewers!!! Sorry this took so long to post. It wasn't the Harry Potter book; I finished that in about seven hours. (I'm serious; I started a little after 10:30 and finished about 5:00!) I just had writers block. Oh, well. Please, read and review.

Sakura sighed with great force as she looked around her. Red and pink streamers, bobbing heart-shaped lanterns, chocolate and flowers peeping out from under the arms of every second person- Konoha sure got into Valentines Day. It seemed a bit annoying, really.

She knew she wasn't being fair; under normal circumstances, she'd be out there with everyone else. She might be helping Tenten force Neji to slip and let his romantic side show (which didn't happen all that often in public. In private…), or helping Hinata get ready for a date with Kiba, or even better, out on a date, a real no-cheap-ramen-involved date with Naruto. The whole time, she'd probably be humming some romantic song under her breath. But it didn't feel right this year; nothing did.

One look at Kumo, and Sakura could tell the girl agreed. She also picked up on other, better hidden emotions- a hint of wistfulness, a little anger, and etcetera.

"Kumo-neechan," she said softly, "I'm gonna go find Naruto."

Kumo just kind of nodded, looking a bit like one lost in a dream, one of those vague, hazy ones that aren't really good or bad. Sakura knew when she about faced and started strolling in the opposite direction, that Kumo was going to visit them. She also knew that there was no way to help or comfort her.

--------

Neji glared irritatedly at a long string baring glitter-drenched, pink and red paper hearts. If the string had been a living creature, it would have fled for cover from the gaze of his byakugan, but as it was, he just had to lean back into the park bench and try pointedly to ignore the irritating decorations, and romantic goo-goo-ga-ga-ing that was going on all around him.

He had never really understood the point of Valentines Day. To him, it had always seemed like a rather pointless holiday, one that women tended to love, and their boyfriends and husbands dreaded. Why would anyone waste a day to celebrate … He couldn't even come up with the right word for it.

The most curious thing about it, however, had to be those fragile paper hearts. Oh, yes, he understood the symbolism. Unlike… certain members of the team, he wasn't dense. Still, the purpose of this particular ornament was, to him, a thing on which to speculate.

Neji had seen a lot of death and tragedy and hatred and sickness in his life. What shinobi hadn't? And he certainly saw no use in having a heart so easily torn in two, even if it was just for embellishment.

His thoughts wondered back to the Haruno girl. She was one of Tenten's best friends, and, although Sakura, in his mind at least, couldn't hold a candle to his beautiful, brown haired girlfriend, he would be lying to say that the two of them weren't friends as well.

He remembered, after every one else had left, how he and Tenten had sat together on the faded couch. The Hyuuga genius had silently slipped his arm around her waist, as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I don't get it Neji-kun!" she wept, her voice broken-sounding, "I don't understand it at all! She's one of my best friends. This can't be happening, please, tell me this isn't happening. Why, Neji, why?!" she turned those intense amber eyes of hers to him, as if he had all the answers.

He had just gazed at her with an unreadable expression, and then turned his eyes away. He could remember his loosing father, how quickly the events had had run their course. It had all come out of the blue, knocking him from his feet and taking the air from his lungs. But still, he had to wonder if maybe what Tenten was going through was worse- watching some one precious to her dwindle away to nothing, in pain all the while, and not being able to do anything about it.

His thoughts had wandered back, over many memories, many faces, all the days on the calendar that seemed like nothing out of the ordinary. He had been able to tolerate Sakura on the few days Tenten had convinced her to "intrude" on their training, provided Lee wasn't around. She seemed different from before the Uchiha left.

It was her win against Shikamaru- who had never before been beaten at shogi, especially not playing with his own board- that had finally won his attention. So, with much prompting from Tenten, the two had become friendly, if not friends. Things had simply progressed from there. He had to admit, he was fond of his girlfriend's companion, though not in a romantic way. (What little romantic skills he had were reserved for Tenten; all the kunoichi made sure of that.)

So when he heard the grief filled questions coming from his angel's lips, he couldn't give her the answers she wanted. All he had managed to say was, "I don't know."

Neji wasn't used to feeling inadequate. It went against who he was, against his very nature. But that night, he couldn't feel anything else but sorrow. (He would have been hard pressed, though, too tell you who it was for.) Softly stroking Tenten's hair, he had felt tears bubble up, and realized, he didn't remember the last time he had cried.

Yes, there was defiantly no need for hearts of paper. Human hearts were hurt easily enough as it was.

He was startled out of his reminiscing, by a familiar voice.

"Neji-kun!" her smile seemed bright and warm, "Happy Valentines day."

The minute the words were out of her mouth, the weapons mistress began looking anxiously for something, although she was trying to be discreet.

"_What's she…? Oh, yeah, that…"_

A bit nervous, though you'd never know it, he handed her a tiny package, wrapped in simple mauve paper. Tensely, she untied the bit of silver ribbon (added upon Hanabi's insistence) and neatly removed the paper. A slight blush came over her face as she revealed a small ring box. Her mouth became a small "O" at the present inside. A small white gold ring with a single black opal glimmered back up at her. Incomprehensible words came out of her mouth in the form of stutters.

"…It was my mother's," Neji explained, trying to keep his voice calm, as he helped slip it on her finger. Then, a sudden thought hit him. He groaned.

"What? What is it?" Tenten took a momentary break from her happiness to stare at him.

"I just realized…."

"Realized what?"

"_That I'm just like the rest of them,"_ he thought.

"I've become a sap."

And Tenten couldn't stop laughing long enough to hand him his gift.

--------

Hinata swung slowly, back and forth, as she waited for Kiba at the playground. Her puppy, affectionately named "Suki" or beloved, slept, curled into a tiny ball, at the foot of the maple tree.

It wasn't Suki she was focusing on, though. Her mind danced around questions too difficult for her to answer, as she thought back to that day, the one that could have made or broken her friendship with Sakura.

"Hina-chan?"

Sakura's voice had been soft, and apprehensive, a tone Hinata wasn't used to hearing from her friend.

"H-Hai, Sakura-chan? W-what's wrong?"

Pale eyes looked over the pink haired girl's worried face. A feeling of dread had loomed over her, as she waited for the Godaime's apprentice to speak.

"Hinata, I'm… I'm going to tell you something. Can you promise not to be angry, at least not at first, not until I finish speaking?"

A soft, silent nod of the head, and then the words hesitantly came.

"Hinata, I…I think I've fallen in love with Naruto."

And it was as if the world was crashing down around her. Hinata looked as if she had been struck, her byakugan fixed on the girl she had thought she knew so well. Why, was it only last weekend that they had stayed up all night at Hinata's place, chattering and eating homemade cupcakes and brownies and cookies, and Neji shook his head in dismay?

"Hinata," Sakura's voice quavered a little; tears threatened to spill from both girls' eyes, "I know you love him, too."

The Hyuuga girl couldn't help but note how Sakura hadn't downplayed the word. Most others would have said "you _like _him, too"; which in a way would have discarded her feelings as less true, less important. That was probably the one thing that convinced the heiress to keep listening.

"Hina-chan, I'm so sorry…" here the sobs actually came, as Sakura tried to find the right way to continue, "you know, if I had a choice … if I could make things different, I would. But stupid old me had to go fall in love with the one person I don't deserve, the one person you've loved for forever and an age. Hinata, I broke my friendship with Ino up over Sasuke. I don't want to make that mistake again. Hinata, if you…if you want me to pretend I don't have feelings for him, I'll try my best. He deserves better than me, anyhow, and I don't want to loose you as a friend."

Sakura couldn't bear to look at her friend's face, knowing the hurt and anger she'd see there. She knew Hinata would probably never want to speak to her again. She felt vulnerable, with all those emotions laid out on the table.

"I understand if you don't want to be friends, anymore. But if somehow, by some miracle, you can forgive me, then… well I guess I'm really in no position to say this, but, I'd like that."

She braced herself for the silent treatment and/or horrified accusations that would probably come next. What she was unprepared for, was what Hinata said next.

"But _he _l-loves _you_; not me. H-how could you say I love h-him, and not let him be happy? I-I guess I am a little angry, Sakura…but I d-don't think it would be right for me to hold you back," Hinata started crying here, too, "I d-did want him for myself. B-but I want you for a friend, too. I'd feel awful if I made both of you miserab-ble. _He loves you._"

Sitting there, on that Valentines Day, Hinata couldn't help but wonder if maybe that was fate's way of pointing her in Kiba's direction- presuming Neji was right about fate, of course. She remembered she had felt hurt. It had been difficult to see Naruto and Sakura together, no matter how careful both girls were. Their friendship almost hadn't made it. But then she had fallen back on Kiba. And she had never seen the world the same, since.

All of a sudden, Suki perked up, sniffing the air, and then barked, joyfully.

Akamaru came up, outrunning his master. He stopped a few inches away from Suki, casually placing a treat in front of the puppy, and nosing it in her direction. Tail wagging happily as she accepted his token, he said (with great difficulty) "Happy Valentines!" Suki nearly choked from shock.

"Aren't they cute?" Kiba whispered into her ear, surprising her.

"Yeah," Hinata nodded happily, as Kiba slipped a dog tag inscribed with her name around her neck, and handed her a bouquet.

--------

Naruto and Sakura sat across from one another at Sakura's table, not exactly having the same picture-perfect day the other couples were. (Although it was probably better than Kakashi's; who knew what he had done this time to get Anko so angry? For that matter, who wanted to know?)

"Sakura," Naruto slurped a little on his miso, "Stop being so gloomy, please! You're going to get better! I'll find a w-"

"Naruto," Sakura was on the verge of yelling now, "Please, stop saying that! It's not like I don't appreciate the effort, but, it's just like I told you…"

"Told me what?" By this point, the food had been left forgotten, "That you're not even going to try to save your own life?!"

"…That once something's shattered, super glue won't fix it!"

"Then I'll use duct tape!"

Something about the raw desperation in Naruto's voice cause something inside Sakura to break. The tears fell soft, and noiseless at first, then louder and quicker.

Naruto felt like he had been slapped in the face.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry," he apologized hastily, "I-"

"No, don't apologize;" she tried to wipe her eyes, "You shouldn't apologize. You know this isn't how I had planned to spend our first valentines as a couple. But this damn illness keeps taking over everything. And there, I go, making excuses again. But I'm just so sick of it. Even on the good days, like this, I can never completely forget, so I go and make everything sour. Like that's going to help! I'm sorry, Naruto. I really did want to have a good time with you. And I know you're just trying to help me. But all I want is to forget for a little while. People are always telling me that I have to fight to get better- like I'm not trying- or talking about how I'm doomed behind my back. That's all I am to some of them- the sick girl. Even with you, Naruto, who loves me and always try to brighten up my day…I feel kind of isolated. I guess… I feel lonely."

His eyes softened.

Lonely- boy, had he ever been there. But his Sakura-chan wasn't going to be, not if he had any say in the matter.

He stood up, and walked around behind her. "I _am_ sorry," he murmured as his arms encircled her, "Sakura-chan, please don't be lonely. I'm here. And you'll always be just that to me- my Sakura-chan."

They sat there for a moment, in silence, breathing in each other's scents. Finally, he let go, turning to rummage for something in his bag. Finally, he pulled out a small case, and handed it to her, saying, "I almost forgot."

With trembling hands, she opened it, to see a rather stunning necklace. It was silver with the tiny figure of an angel holding an even smaller origami crane in her hand.

"So you're never completely alone," He explained, "So you've always got a guardian angel watching over you. Besides, I had given you gold. You need silver, too. That way you can always be wearing one necklace or the other, and in a way, I'll always be with you, too."

"Thank you," was all Sakura could manage as she fastened the chain, fingers still shaking. She sat in the hair, stunned for a moment, before standing up, and lacing her fingers through his.

"Follow me," was all she said, and before Naruto knew it, she was leading him down the heart-covered streets of Konoha, straight to Ino's flower shop. Turning to him, all Sakura said was, "Wait here" and then she slipped inside.

Within a few minutes, she reemerged, pressing a small bouquet of pink and blue flowers in his hand. Before he could point out that normally, the guy gave the girl flowers; she had kissed him on the cheek, and left "in search of Kumo".

As he stood there, watching her leave, Ino made a clucking noise.

"Naruto, do you know what those flowers are? Or what they mean?"

He shook his head no at the sudden arrival.

"The blue ones are forget-me-nots; they're supposed to stand for faithful love or memories. The pink carnations mean, 'I will never forget you'. Add that meaning to forget-me-not…"

Naruto felt his heart sink.

----------

Kumo gently scattered white rose petals over two twin graves.

"Happy Valentines, Mom and Dad."

A/N: Sheesh, finally, that's done. If I somehow managed to mess up one of your favorite pairings, I really am sorry. (Serenity-san, please, don't kill me for inadequate NejiTen! Dido about the KakaAnko, SCPL!) Other than that, I don't have that much to say, except for, I'm sorry about the other pairings. I just didn't have time to write them in. Oh, and if you could stop by Master of Fanfics' account, she has four great stories up for NaruSaku fans. Thanks to all of you for moral support, especially Master of Fanfics, Winter-Rae, and screamingcrazyproctorlady. (C-chan, can you please shorten your pen name in some way? Dozo?) Oh, and one more thing. I got the flower meanings of the net. If they're wrong, don't yell at me, okay.

The next chapter is called, "The Last Birthday Party".


	16. Chitsuki

A/N: It's been, what, two months since I updated with a real chapter? Sorry it's taken so long, but I'm temporarily off grounding. I just looked back and reread my last couple chapters. I didn't realize when I posted them that they were that short and/or rushed sounding… sumimasen…. Well, anyway, with out further ado…

Chapter 17-- - - -- - - - - - - - -- -

- - - - - - - - - - Chitsuki

"Chitsuki, what am I going to do with you?" Kumo murmured softly, sitting by the girl's bedside. Only Haruno's heart monitor answered her, as the pink-haired kunoichi slept fitfully, overtaken by fever.

Sorakono couldn't help wringing her hands again. She had been doing that a lot lately, using a nervous gesture that previously she hadn't even thought of in what seemed like eons.

With Sakura's first letter, so many things had started poking their heads out of the past, hand wringing being the least important of all.

Kumo had always been argumentative. Not a rebel, exactly, she thought most people labeled "rebels" were stupid… why mess with something and get yourself in trouble if it wasn't hurting you?

If there was one thing she _had _rebelled against, it would have to be the concept of fate. The idea had simply always been unappealing to her. She didn't like the notion of some randomly cruel and merciless entity controlling her life. And she didn't like the thought of history repeating itself on the same basis…and for more...well… personal reasons. Besides, wasn't that just _a bit_ cliché?

"_Cliché, _she thought now, _but unreasonably and unarguably true, ne Touchan? Kaachan?" _

A dry chuckle escaped the violet-eyed female's lips.

"Neither of us were very fortuitous, were we Chitsuki-chan? I hate seeing you here. Hell, it's an ironic change of roles. You're supposed to be the _healer_ moonchild. What happened to the fucking happily every after we planned as kids? You know the one I'm talking about. Where you cured me every time I almost died and when I woke up I ragged endlessly on your Prince Charming to make sure he treated _you_ right?"

She unconsciously slipped her hand into her pocket, running the pad of her thumb over a few pieces of paper torn from another nin's pocket notebook, scribbled on, and then crumpled into her jeans. Iruka sensei had always told her she had to be neater with her final drafts.

"I guess, at the end of this, there won't be anymore pretending, will there? One way or the other."

_Kumo's mother, Yonagi, was a thin, worn looking woman. Her eyes were tired, her hands callused, but as she smiled serenely at the two little girls sitting in cheap kiddy lawn chairs in front of her apartment building, they couldn't help but think she was the most beautiful in the world, maybe even a rival for Kaguya, though certainly not Chitsuki or Kai. Her name seemed to fit her, because, like the "evening calm" she had a tranquil and peaceful, almost dreamlike air to her. Or so they had thought then. It wasn't until she was much older, looking at those faded photos that Kumo had seen the discontent, the hurt and worry etched into the premature lines of her mother's face. She didn't recognize the defeat there until she had tasted it herself, until she, too had been disillusioned. _

_But none of it had mattered then, as her mother sat in the summer grass, reading while she and Chitsuki ate bright blue Popsicles that left rings around their mouths._

"_Kaachan, what're you reading?"_

_Sakura looked interestedly at the small dove-colored volume the woman clutched in her hands. She didn't read many kanji yet, and some hiragana and katakana, but she loved the stories Kumo would sometimes read out loud for her. _

"_Just some poetry, hon. You wouldn't like them. They're in another language." _

_Even as Yonagi said it, all three knew the outcome of the argument. There were very few things Yonagi didn't read the kids; she just liked to argue for the sake of challenging them._

_With in a few minutes she was flipping through the dog-eared pages._

"_Here's one I like. It's called Dover Beach._

_The sea is calm to-night.  
The tide is full, the moon lies fair  
Upon the straits; on the French coast the light  
Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand;  
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.  
Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!  
Only, from the long line of spray  
Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,  
Listen! you hear the grating roar  
Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,  
At their return, up the high strand,  
Begin, and cease, and then again begin,  
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring  
The eternal note of sadness in._

_Sophocles long ago  
Heard it on the A gaean, and it brought  
Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow  
Of human misery; we  
Find also in the sound a thought,  
Hearing it by this distant northern sea._

_The Sea of Faith  
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore  
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.  
But now I only hear  
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,  
Retreating, to the breath  
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear  
And naked shingles of the world._

_  
Ah, love, let us be true  
To one another! for the world, which seems  
To lie before us like a land of dreams,  
So various, so beautiful, so new,  
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,  
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;  
And we are here as on a darkling plain  
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,  
Where ignorant armies clash by night."_

_She translated for the children._

_Kumo's brow furrowed._

"_Its sounds…sad," Sakura said softly, confused, "but…"_

"_I don't get it," Kumo finished._

_Yonagi sighed; she had expected as much. _

"_Be grateful, kids. You'll understand when you're older. But for now be grateful that you don't"_

_Kumo looked, puzzled at the wistful expression on her mother's face. Sakura looked at the remains of her Popsicle, the sticky juices running down her hand. "The Ocean of Faith…" she said softly in her now seven-year-old-voice._

"_The _sea_," Kumo corrected; she had always been an auditory learner._

"_The sea of faith."_

Back in modern day, Kumo had to keep tears back from the corners of her eyes. She trembled slightly.

"Damn Mathew Arnold (The word sounded more like Maathu Ano-rda)," she couldn't help but say it, "the fucking poet was right. He might have meant it differently, but he was right all the same."

_For the world, which seems  
To lie before us like a land of dreams,  
So various, so beautiful, so new,  
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,  
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;  
And we are here as on a darkling plain  
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,  
Where ignorant armies clash by night._

"_Kumo-neechan?" Sakura's jade eyes had looked troubled, as they sat on the damp sidewalk, glaring at the grey storm clouds overhead._

"_Nani, Chitsuki?"_

"_You know everything, right?"_

_Kumo snorted amused._

"_You do!" Sakura insisted indignantly, "You know why the moon makes the waves go in and out-"_

"_The tides," corrected Kumo patiently._

"_-Yeah those things, and you know why the leaves turn red and about Kaguya's little sister and you remember part of the sea-faith-poem and a bunch of other stuff."_

"Sure, _Chitsuki."_

_Ignoring the sarcastic tone, the little girl continued._

"_Kumo, people get mad when other people lie to them, right? They say it hurts them?"_

"_Yeah…sure...I guess?" Nine-and-a-half year old Kumo was surprised to hear the question come from her younger friend's mouth._

"_Then, if lies hurt…why do people lie to themselves?"_

_Kumo stopped, and stared openly, unable to think of an answer. Some how, that didn't sound like one of Haruno's normal questions._

"_Why?" she asked cautiously._

_Sakura cast her gaze away, "Because Ka … never mind."_

Kumo's hand tightened around the scrap of paper. She thought about the question, something she had asked again and again. Her mother's face flashed through her mind, followed Chitsuki's as a child. Staring at an IV bag, she whispered. Anyone else in the room would have thought it came suddenly, her outburst of tears. It definitely wouldn't have been expected.

"I have an answer, Chitsuki. We lie to others because we want to hide the truth, right? Because we did something wrong that we want to cover up. Something that will hurt them, and that will hurt us in return when they find out. And even the illusion we're making, even when it burns, we prefer it to the sting of reality. Because you can only change stories on a whim, no reality. We lie to ourselves as a shield…. Cause the truth_ hurts _like _shit."_

------------------------------------------------

Naruto watched as Kumo walked out of Sakura's room with quick, brisk strokes. Her eyes were red.

He paused on his way in, and nodded slightly in her direction. She pretended not to see him.

He stood there in the doorway for a moment, looking at his love's frail, gaunt form and trying to ignore the other's retreating footsteps.

…_Shortened her time…_

Clutching his stomach, he collapsed into a weeping, silent fury.

A/N: All hail the NaruSaku angst queen! Lol, jk. I warned you Kumo was gonna swear, right? R&R. 1 chapter and an epilogue to go!


	17. Last Farewell

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

By Shiroihato

Chapter Seventeen

Eibetsu 

(Last Farewell)

A/N: Be sure to read to the VERY end, or you'll miss something. Got it? Good.

Kumo was watching, and she was seeing, but she didn't believe it the scene's reality. It had all the emotion, but only a nightmarish substance, something she didn't want to believe. Never believe. Her violet eyes revealed no emotion, no clue to the fact that she was in her own personalized, living hell.

She watched as the blonde boy sobbed at the end of Chitsuki's bed, eyes turned red by agony, his chest wracked by violent sobs. She knew, wordlessly as the Sannin trembled inside, silent tears leaking slowly down her face with the quick, twisting movement of a snake. The others hovered in a cloud outside the door, coming in, rotating silently, one by one. The nurses' smiles were empty, painted on. You could see nothing behind their gaze. Kumo had modeled herself after them.

"Chitsuki…" 

She didn't know if it was a thought, a whisper, a scream. But it was enough. The tremors the tone held were more than words could possibly say. They were truer. And as Naruto's eyes met hers, for the first time they met with a single bond, a wavelength. They were untied by the same grief, and it was all they held between them. Silently Kumo looked away.

She didn't like words. They always failed her. No matter the occasion, her words were always lost, held behind a wall of cold indifference. She had spent too long trying to hide. Never speak about what hurts and it isn't real. She didn't want this to be real. But she couldn't help but want to say something. Anything. Anything that might bring Chitsuki back to her, whole and healthy and happy. She would trade anything for it. She would trade _everything_ for it.

Naruto was holding Sakura's hand in his own. It seemed so small right now, so delicate. He was sure he could crush it with ease, had he wanted to. Gently he traced the veins of her hand, which stood out from underneath her paper skin. His emotions were a storm drilling into his skull, breaking his spine, clouding his sight.

"_Sakura-chan…" _His eyes met Kumo's. He could have sworn he heard her say something, but Ino and Tsunade hadn't seemed to notice. He had been so furious that she could just sit there and calmly watch this, knowing at any moment, Sakura would leave them desolate, and, in themselves, alone. But the single word...he knew different now.

She broke the gaze, the rapport, and he knew she had felt it to. She as trying to hide her bared soul. He understood how. In this situation, it might seem safer. So much safer.

He didn't take his eyes off his pink haired angel. She seemed to have shrunk inside herself, to have wasted away these last months. You always read how people whose loved one had died were glad they weren't in anymore pain. He wasn't like that; he could bring himself to be. No matter what pain she was in he was selfish. He wanted to clasp onto her, and never let go. But if Naruto had been one of those people, he would have agreed.

It was subtle at first, when the noise started trailing away. They hardly seemed to notice. It was a quiet thing, while Naruto had expected it to be loud and wailing, as if even the machinery could feel the tremendous loss. But as it was, not until Sakura's heartbeat had slowed drastically did her metal watchdog bay the alert.

And then there was an explosion. Every one was moving and crying out, trying to reach her as she drifted quietly away in the tides of the states of eternity. The willowy brown-haired nurse in the corner was trying to hold every one back, as Tsunade hit the code button.

"Code blue, code blue" 

Words were one of the most potent poisons.

Her eyes opened for just a minute. Sakura was there, but at the same time, she was elsewhere. And she was searching, searching, searching. Finally she found what she was looking for. As she pulled Naruto's hand to her chest with a sudden volatile strength, she reached out, shaking, for Kumo. It was a small movement; she hardly had the strength to lift her hand from the sweat-drenched sheets. The two's fingers intertwined in the frailest of bonds, and Sakura looked back at Naruto. She smiled.

And she flatlined.

Tsunade choked out the time of death and ordered a crash cart. Silently and easily she pushed the people that surrounded her once vibrant student's bed out of the way. Kumo refused to budge. Her eyes bulged, as if she was having an insane idea, and indeed, she looked insane.

"OUT!!!! EVERYBODY OUT!!!!" Kumo screamed, a note of hysteria creeping into her now desperate voice. There was none of the usual sarcastic coldness there, only a dire determination.

I have to do something, anything, everything. I couldn't before, but I have to, I have to. Kaachan, if you're watching, help me. I have to, I have to, I have to.

She threw the others out cast them out. She could see the surprise on their faces. She didn't try to make Tsunade leave; Naruto's fingers were still all laced up in Sakura's cold ones. But the older woman tried to stop her. Kumo, adrenalin bursting through her, burning her blood, shoved her out of the way.

Tsunade hadn't been expecting it, and as she gingerly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth onto the back of her hand, she put up no resistance. She just collapsed into a heap, motionless, noiseless, hopeless.

Kumo put her hands on Sakura's chest and felt the chakra leave her body.

Outside, they knew nothing. Hinata was trying to find somewhere, anywhere, to hide, but the many-faced monster of reality found her in each. No one noticed as Temari disappeared to be sick alone. No one noticed, no on knew. They pulled back to their core, hiding behind the translucent shields of their skin, putting distance between themselves and the truth.

_It can't be, It can't…_

And as Ino looked at the closed, locked door in her growing anguish, she tried to put a face to her sorrows, something or someone she could blame. She found Kumo.

How fair had it been for the older girl to throw them out?

"_No fair at all_," her demons replied as they rampaged freely through her spirit and her flesh, _"She deserted Sakura. She never did anything. And now she's hogging all that's left of the girl who was your best friend. The corpse, of course, but all the same."_

Ino was going to agree. But then they heard the cry.

Kumo wasn't aware of the noises as they left her lips. She was past that plain now. She felt herself hit rock bottom, as she scraped up the last dregs of her energy from the depths of her being. She coldn't die now, not when she was so close. She was running on her own life force now, and even that was almost gone.

"_Just a little more… a little farther…I have to channel it…"_

Sakura had been physically dead for too long now, she was cutting it close. But she could feel the girl's presence urging her. Or at least she thought she could.

"Hurry up Chitsuki…hurry" 

As the last of her chakra fled she was over come by despair. She couldn't fail again…but she had to… she

She screamed as the foreign chakra pervaded her system. She didn't have to ask whose it was, but she could feel the weight of his hand on her shoulder. She didn't know that he was doubting himself, the effect he would have. She didn't know how Naruto almost gave up, or worse, how he almost gave into the Kyuubi, let the beast take over. After all, what was life without Sakura? But all Kumo knew was the blissful suffering she felt as she channeled Kyuubi chakra through her, filtering it as it torn up her insides, ripped her apart. She put the harm she was taking from it second to the cleansed energy coming from her hands, flushing Chitsuki's face with color.

And then Sakura was crying out as well, her eyes flying open. Kumo gave her a grin, then collapsed, lifeless to the floor.

**A/N: Okay, just an epilogue to go…and an alternate ending if enough people want it. Sorry if it sucked. That was a lot harder to write than it was to imagine. It probably would have been easier to write if she had actually died. A million thanks to SCPL, now emogirl108, for helping me with writing this chapter. You may have noticed I'm going through editing. I'm not finished though, and I kinda screwed up chapter five…replaced it with chapter four…. leaves before Kumo's Ghost can murder her for killing the said character off R&R people. Oh, and be sure to check out my Mibba, okay[urlhttp://member. (And in case that doesn't work[url http://member. or member DOT mibba DOT com/24149/**

**-Shiro**


	18. Epilogue

**The Kekkei Genkai Curse**

By Rev'ika

Epilogue

**A/N: **Okay, I lied in my profile. I re-read this out of curiosity (haven't looked at it in ages), and so, here's the epilogue as a result. Probably my last Naruto work, ever. Oh, _damn_ I have a lot of editing to do on this thing. Eventually. And the title will bug me forever. Suggestions, anyone?

_**Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la**_. _Not gone, merely matching far away._

-Mandalorian Proverb.

(_Star Wars: Republic Commando_ books and _Legacy of the Force_ books by Karen Traviss.)

_? Weeks/Months Later_

Names carved in stone were supposed to last forever- past the memories, past the pain, past the life and laughter and the grief. It was the concept behind the memorial stone for the village's KIA. It was probably the idea behind gravestones, too. Sakura didn't care.

She hated those letters.

They were the venom of her sorrow, traced in acid tears. Pitying, but merciless. She knew she wasn't the first shinobi to feel that way. She wouldn't be the last. She wasn't the first woman to feel this kind of anguish; there had been others. She wasn't the first human to cry.

But it felt like it.

Looking back, Sakura knew how Naruto must have felt when she was ill. To wake up every day and imagine your _family _being claimed by those cruel, irreverent letters? He had more courage than she ever could have thought. A lesser man would have run.

_They all could have run. But they didn't. I'm grateful. Kumo didn't run, either._

Sakura's health was returning, slowly. She had spent weeks in the hospital recovering, going through therapy, having check ups. She had missed Kumo's funeral, but Naruto had told her a little. It had been a cool day, cloudy, quiet. However much it hurt Sakura, she knew it was suitable.

She had been released a few days ago, but had stalled in coming here. She wasn't sure she could cope. Naruto had understood that, tacitly supporting herin an uncharacteristically quiet manner. He had changed in the last year. So had she. So had they all.

But eventually, she had made her way to the graveyard, heart trembling. Her face drained of blood, pale as the white cyclamens she clutched in her hands.

_Meaning: Resignation. Goodbye._

The words from the description would probably never leave her mouth. It wouldn't be fitting to say to a kunoichi who had been so defiant about death that she took it to spare a sister. But Kumo would still know, or at least, Sakura had to hope she would. Because there had to be some kind of afterlife. A soul like that, even a stained one, couldn't slip through the fingertips of existence that easily. Or so Sakura prayed anyway.

The wind rustled slightly through the surrounding treetops, but not a bird sang. It was a moment of perfect silence, but not necessarily peace. Sakura accepted that there would be many of those, now. Imperfection within perfection. Maybe she could even live with it.

The pink-haired girl wiped the tears against her sleeve. They didn't stain, like blood, but they were just as potent. They would still be there, years from now. Invisible reminders. Intangible.

She could hear nothing except the hushed heartbeat of the world and the absence of another familiar cadence. But Sakura would live. Kumo made sure of that. Unconsciously, she touched the pocket on her vest. Inside was concealed a collection of ink and musing scrawled in Kumo's untidy hand. Letters. A goodbye.

She hadn't read them. She probably would, eventually. When it hurt less. But Sakura wouldn't come back to the graveyard. She had done her duty, and it was too soon after being restored to the living for her to keep the company of the dead.

A child's laughter broke the silence, dream-like on the distant horizon. It startled Sakura back to herself. She tore her eyes from the forbidding headstone, and gently lay the flowers against the earth.

She had only one thing to say before she went.

_Thank you for my life._

A/N: Okay, crap, I know. But I haven't watched/read Naruto in forever, and it was kind of hard to try to step back into the mindset. Therefore, short and sour. And I might get around to lengthening it and/or editing. Someday.

When I was reading back over TKGC, a few moments really struck me, and made me want to continue. But I also had quite a lot of "What?! _Please, _don't tell me I really wrote that! That is redundant/corny/not part of a good narrative!" moments. But it was also a little helpful. Some of the phrasing was useful to remember, and I got to see how I've improved (or not) in the last year. I also got to see some mistakes, and you can be sure I won't be making them again.

Mostly I was struck by a need for a resolution. So this 15 minute work came out.


End file.
